As the plane landed, Kim sighed and waited as it came to a stop.  So weird being on this end of things, she thought to herself.  Usually she was the one doing the last minute garbage check for the passengers.  But to be honest, it felt kind of nice to relax like this for once.  Hope I'll be able to just crash, she thought to herself.  She had left a message for Adam, telling him what time she'd be arriving, but she had no idea if he was coming or if he had even gotten it.  Though to be honest, she doubted he had gotten or would show up.  The last she had heard, he was deployed somewhere, and he was probably still who knew where, which was why she was arriving in town and would most likely have no one to meet her.  Did that suck?  Absolutely, but she wasn't going to solve anything by dwelling on it.  So yeah, she would just deal with it.

She gave herself a mental shake as the plane came to a complete stop and then unbuckled the belt and headed out.  Once she was off of the plane, she headed towards the baggage claim area.  Okay, grab my things, and then catch a cab to the apartment, she thought to herself.  ANd she had been damn lucky to find a place to rent here.  She knew that wasn't always the case.  But again, she had gotten lucky and she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.  So exhausted, she thought to herself.  All she really wanted to do was get to her new place and crash.  She could worry about meeting up with Adam later.  Not that she was worried about it.  Yeah, she had definitely used the wrong terminology here.  What she had meant was that she wouldn't think about it at the moment.

When she saw her suitcase, she walked up and grabbed it.  This would do just fine until she got the rest of wardrobe from the u-haul.  Okay.  Exit.  Need the exit, she thought to herself as she headed out.  This was going to be so fun....not.

Adam had barely walked through the door and fell face first on the sofa after returning from Korea when he checked his phone messages, hearing Kim's voice and flight information he sat straight up and checked the time on his phone and realized he had about thirty minutes to get back to the airport before her plane landed. All he really wanted to do was sleep for three days, but he wasn't about to let Kim show up in Tierney with nobody to welcome her.

Not taking the time to even change clothes after the long flight back from Korea, he'd have to remember to apologize to Kim for the way he looked later. He grabbed up his keys and rushed back out the door, only stopping long enough to get gas in his truck and pick up some flowers for Kim. He pulled up and rushed back into the airport with only a few minutes to spare.

He knew he had the element of surprise on his side because Kim probably wasn't expecting him. When he saw her pick up her suitcase and start looking for the exit he quietly walked up behind her. Wrapping the arm with the flowers around her and grabbing her suitcase with the other he smiled as he pulled her close. "G-d I missed you."

Finally turning her loose he pulled back, "I'm.. uh I'm sorry about all this," He said gesturing to himself, "But I only got home from Korea like thirty minutes ago, and when I got your message... well I didn't want you to be here with nobody to meet you." Wrapping one arm around her, and carrying her bag in the other, "So where are we headed? I'm all yours today, as long as we can take a little nap... I didn't sleep well on the flight back." If he was to be totally honest he should have added that he hadn't been sleeping well since the whole ordeal in Korea had started.

After picking up her suitcase, she had only gone a few steps when the suitcase was plucked from her hands and she was pulled into a waist, a bouquet of flowers coming into sight, resulting in a grin as Adam said that he had missed her.
"Missed you too,"she told him, going to kiss him. "Hope I didn't call you while you were trying to sleep," she said worriedly. The last she would ever want was to mess his sleep schedule up anymore when he was on downtime. She had seen him a couple of times after missions and he had looked completely wrecked. She didn't want that for him. After all, he didn't need a girlfriend that was inconsiderate or clingy. No, he needed her to be thinking of him. And that was what she was trying to do: be the supportive girlfriend who gave him the space he needed when he needed it, but was also there to support him when he needed someone to lean on. Not that he really talk to her. She wasn't stupid and she knew that he probably couldn't say much, but she wanted him to know that the offer was there at least.

When he started apologizing, saying that he had just gotten back from Korea a half hour, saying that he didn't want her to show up with no one to meet her, she shook her head.
"Babe, it's fine," she assured, going to kiss him again. When he asked her where they were headed, saying that he was all hers as long as they could take a little nap since he hadn't slept well on the flight back. "Oh, that's fine. I'm pretty zonked myself," she said as she reached into her purse and pulled out the scrap of paper with her new address on it, handing it to him. Yeah, she was aware that it wasn't in the best part of town, but it was all that she could afford at the moment. Truth was, she had gotten damn lucky to even get a place, so she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

 

When Kim handed him the scrap of paper with her address on it, he laughed "Absolutely not." His tone didn't really leave much room for discussion. "Kim I wouldn't take you there during the day, much less let you stay there by yourself at night." He pulled her close enjoying the feeling of having her back in his arms again, the smell of her comforting. "I have an idea... it might be crazy, but my place is plenty big for the both of us... and I know you'd be safe there even when I'm gone. Please say yes. Please." Adam wasn't above begging if it was something he really wanted.

Guiding Kim out the door and to his truck and set her suitcase in the back. "Welcome to Tierney babe, I hope you like it here at least half as much as I like having you here." he opened her door for her and wrapped his arms around her kissing her. "Best day ever...get home from that G-d awful place and my girl comes to town the same day. How about we grab some breakfast before we go home and take a nap, then I can show you around town and if it's not dark out I might even drive you by that address you tried to get me to take you to." He laughed as he waited for her to climb in the truck so he could shut the door behind her.

As he climbed in his side and shut his door Adam turned to Kim and smiled, "I know a place in town that sells the best pancakes I've ever eaten, you up for that or did you want me to make you breakfast at home?" He was like a kid in a candy store, Adam hadn't been this happy in a long time. If having Kim around was going to have this kind of effect on him, he was all for her staying forever.

Kim quirked a brow at Adam as he laughed and told her that she absolutely wasn't staying there, adding that he wouldn't even take her there during the day, much less let her stay alone there at night.
"Adam, it's all that I can afford right now and I was lucky to even get it," she objected. Despite the fact that she was still putting some of her earnings into a savings account, she still had bills to pay and most of the money went towards that. And now he wanted to take away the apartment she had managed to find? Why would he do that? When he suggested that she stay with him, saying that his place was big enough and that he'd know she'd be safe even when he was gone, begging her to agree. "I couldn't impose on you like that," she objected, shaking her head. He needs his space to decompress and he can't do that if I'm constantly underfoot, she thought to herself.

Her smile then grew as he welcomed her to Tierney, saying that he hoped she liked the town half as much as he liked having her there, adding that it was the best day ever since he had come home to find her in town, suggesting that they go get breakfast before going to his place and taking a nap, saying that if wasn't too dark later, he'd take her to the address she had given him.
"Breakfast sounds great," she responded. "Babe, if you need sleep, you can just drop me off at my place after we eat and then go home. You don't need me getting in the way," she pointed out. Because that's what she would be doing if she went home with him: getting in the way.

After getting in the truck and buckling herself in, she smiled at him as he suggested going to a place he knew that had really good pancakes, going on to ask if she wanted him to make her anything.
"Babe, we've both just got off long flights, we're both exhausted, let's just go out," she suggested, going to give him a kiss.

When Kim insisted that the apartment that she had found was all that she could afford and that she was lucky to get it, he smiled and pulled her close. "Babe... I get it, trust me... but that apartment is not exactly safe. I'd sleep better knowing that you were staying with me... I mean I have a spare room if that's what you're worried about, even if it's just long enough for you to find somewhere else. I mean don't get me wrong I'd be thrilled if you just moved in with me, but if you're not comfortable with that... I understand."

When Kim said she couldn't impose he shook his head and pouted a bit, "It would be more of an imposition for me to worry about you all the time, than for you to move in with me... Please Babe? Besides, I really want you to stay with me."

As soon as she agreed to breakfast he smiled, "There's lots of good breakfast places around town.  Mae happens to know me by name, and they don't even ask me what I want anymore." When Kim suggested he take her to her place after breakfast and him go home to sleep, he shook his head "Absolutely Not. I'm not trying to be mean or take away your independence, but there is no way you're staying in that place by yourself. Call me overprotective, heck call me whatever you want to call me... but I can't agree to that. Besides I'll sleep better if you're with me and I know you're safe."

After Kim agreed to go out for breakfast and kissed him he had a hard time focusing on much other than the kiss, "Keep that up and we'll end up skipping breakfast, AND the nap afterwards." He smiled at her, "You won't regret eating at Mae's she has the best pancakes in town, and if you're nice to her she'll throw in some chocolate chips."

Kim's eyes flickered as Adam reassured her that he understood where she was coming from, repeating again that the apartment wasn't safe and that he'd sleep better if he knew that she was safe, adding that he'd be thrilled to have her officially move in with him, but that he had a guestroom that she could use if she was really worried about things.
"I don't know," she murmured, biting her lip. He has a point about the location, she thought to herself. But she didn't want to intrude on anything more than what she had already had. She had had no idea that he would come pick her up when she had called him. She just hadn't wanted him to think that she was keeping things from him.

She then bit her lip as he insisted that it'd be more of an imposition to have him worrying about her, his tone turning pleading when he asked her to move in, saying that he really wanted her to.
"You've told me that your home is your sanctuary where you can decompress after a hard day. You won't have that anymore if I'm there," she pointed out. And I can't take that away from him. I can't be selfish, she thought to herself. And it would be selfish, she knew it, even if Adam didn't see it now. Over time, he'd grow to resent her and she wouldn't be able to stand it if that happened.

She then nodded and smiled back as he told her that there were a lot of good breakfast places around town and that a woman named Mae knew him by name and didn't even ask him what he wanted anymore.
"That sounds nice," she said with a smile. Of course he'd make bonds like that. That's just who he is, she thought to herself. And now she was getting in the way of that. It wasn't fair to him, she knew this. And yet, he didn't seem to be thinking of this. Maybe he hadn't really thought of it. Yeah, that was probably it.

When he once more turned down her request to take her to her apartment, saying that he wasn't trying to be mean or take away her independence and that she could call him overprotective or whatever, and that he'd sleep better if he knew she was safe, she bit her lip.
"Well, if you're sure," she said softly. It wasn't like it was the best place in town, she knew this, but she didn't want to get in his way.

She chuckled as he stated that if he kept kissing him the way she was, they'd end up skipping breakfast and the nap later.
"Something tells me you wouldn't be opposed to it, but you do need the rest," she commented and then nodded, listening as he said that she wouldn't regret eating at Mae's as she had the best pancakes in town and if she was nice, the woman would throw in some chocolate chips. "Okay, we're definitely going to this place," she declared, throwing him a grin.

Adam sighed and shook his head when Kim said she didn’t know. He saw her biting her lip and wanted nothing more than to kiss her so that she’d stop trying to overthink things. “What’s not to know? Your totally awesome boyfriend just asked you to move in with him, and you’re over thinking things. If you’re scared that things won’t work… we can always find you your own apartment later but I’m not budging on this one Kim. I can not in good consciousness let you move in to that apartment. Trust me Babe, I want you around… always.”

As he saw her bite her lip again he pulled her close and kissed her. “You need to stop biting your lip, it’s doing crazy things to me. Besides Kim, if you lived with me you would be my sanctuary… I’m tired of being alone, I want to have you to come home to… I want nothing more than to be able to come home and tell you about my day, kiss you whenever I want to, hold you whenever I want to… If I didn’t think it would send you running back where you came from… I’d ask you to marry me right now, but I’m willing to take things slow as long as you understand that I’m as serious as I can be when I say I want you to live with me.”

Adam laughed when Kim smiled and told him that going to Mae’s sounded nice. “I can’t wait to show everyone there that you actually do exist. I think they were beginning to think you were imaginary. I go there almost every morning, because we both know I’m not a morning person and cooking is the last thing on my mind at zero dark thirty in the morning.” Adam had been thinking of nothing else since Kim had told him she was moving here, if he hadn’t been such a chicken and had just initially asked her to move in with him right away maybe Kim wouldn’t be so reluctant now. He couldn’t wait to share his life and home with the woman he loved.

He almost growled in frustration when he saw her bite her lip again, “Absolutely positively one hundred percent sure, and if you’ll just say yes you’ll make me the happiest man around.” He smiled, at least he was making headway. He just wished that he hadn’t had to work so hard to convince her, it left him with doubts about whether or not she really wanted to stay with him. Maybe she needed a place of her own… maybe he was smothering her… maybe she wasn’t ready for all of this.

He laughed and continued kissing her, “I can rest later… I need you more. Mae serves breakfast all day long… so there’s no rush.” Just then his stomach grumbled, “Although my stomach is reminding me that it’s been awhile since I’ve had anything to eat, and even longer since I’ve had anything that tasted decent to eat.” When Kim declared that they were definitely going to this place and grinned at him, he smiled and put the truck in reverse backing out of the parking spot. “I sure have missed you darlin’… I’m so happy you’re here with me.”

She then laughed as he asked her what there was to know, reminding her that her awesome boyfriend had asked her to move in with him and that she was overthinking things, adding that if she was afraid of things not working out, they could always get her her own apartment, telling her that he wasn't budging on the issue, saying that he couldn't in good conscience let her stay at her apartment and that he wanted her around always.
"Hmm....maybe," she allowed. She knew that for some reason he really loved her. She had gotten really lucky with him and she didn't know how it had happened. Why would he even be remotely be interested in her?

She then moaned and kissed him, smiling a bit as he told her that she had to stop biting her lip because it was doing crazy things to him, adding that if she lived with him, she'd be his sanctuary, saying that he was tired of being alone and wanted to come home to her, to be able to tell her about his day, to kiss her whenever he wanted to, adding that he was ready to ask her to marry him if it wouldn't send her running back home and that he was as serious as he could be about her moving in.
"Okay," she said. "I just...I don't want this to be something you end up regretting. I mean, I've heard the horror stories about people who moved in together cause they were completely in love and then it all fell apart. I love you so much and I don't want that to happen to us," she added. And I don't want to lose him. I can't, she thought to herself. And that's what would happen if she imposed on him.

She smiled as he told her that he couldn't wait to show everyone that she really existed, saying that he thought that they were starting to think that she was imaginary, adding that he went to Mae's every morning because they both knew that he wasn't a morning person and that cooking was the last thing on his mind that early in the morning.
"Yeah, that's true," she responded. "But hey, I could always cook for you. I mean, I'm not the greatest cook in the world but it's edible," she assured. Then "Imaginary, huh? Like Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street?" she wondered with a smirk. And yes, she had watched that show as a kid. It was a little dorky sure, but she had been pretty much left to her own devices while her parents had showered Nicole with attention.

She nodded as he assured her that was completely sure about her moving in with him, saying that she'd be making him the happiest person on Earth if she agreed to it.
"Okay," she said. I can't believe I'm actually agreeing to this, she thought to herself. But why not? He had a point about the apartment. And as long as he was wanting her, everything would be fine. "But promise me one thing. The second you get tired of living together or that I'm cramping your style, you tell me so I don't overstay my welcome," she requested. If she did that, she'd never forgive herself.

She then laughed with him as he told her that he could rest later, that he needed her more, that the restaurant served breakfast all day, which meant that there was no rush.
"Okay," she stated and then laughed as his stomach let out a loud rumble. "I think your stomach disagrees," she teased as he said that it was reminding him that it had been a while since he had last eaten, much less eaten anything decent.

Her smile grew as he told her that he had missed her and that he was happy that she was there with him.
"I missed you too and I'm glad we're here together as well,"[/color] she said. And she was. She just hoped that he didn't end up regretting taking her in.