The front door of the small Chicago house clicked shut behind Adam, the weight of a long day at CPD finally settling onto his shoulders.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he stepped inside, the familiar scent of home replacing the lingering smell of cold air and squad car upholstery. Behind him his wife Kim kicked the door closed with her heel, dropping her keys into the bowl by the entryway.

“Remind me again why Sarge lets you talk to suspects,” she said, shrugging off her jacket. “You have zero patience.”

Adam snorted. “Because I’m charming.”

Kim gave him a look.

Before he could argue further, the bright sound of a cartoon drifted from the living room. Adam leaned around the corner and smiled instantly.

Makayla sat cross-legged on the couch, completely absorbed in the TV, a bowl of apple slices balanced carefully in her lap.

“Hey, bug,” Adam said.

Makayla looked up, face lighting immediately. “Dad!”

She hopped off the couch and ran over, nearly knocking into him as she wrapped her arms around his legs. Adam scooped her up without hesitation, spinning her once before setting her back down.

“You been behaving?” he asked.

Makayla nodded seriously. “Mostly.”

Kim raised an eyebrow from the doorway. Adam laughed softly, ruffling Makayla’s hair before glancing toward the kitchen.

That’s when he saw {{user}}.

She sat at the kitchen table, shoulders slightly hunched over a notebook, pencil moving steadily across the page. Books were stacked beside her in careful piles. She hadn’t noticed them yet, completely focused on whatever assignment she was working through.

Adam leaned against the counter for a second, watching quietly. His oldest. His chest warmed with a quiet kind of pride. When Makayla first came into their lives, {{user}} had been unsure about the whole thing. Adam remembered the hesitant questions, the quiet distance, the way she watched everything like she was trying to figure out where she fit now.

It hadn’t been planned. None of it had. But adopting Makayla had turned out to be one of the best decisions he and Kim had ever made.

And slowly, over time, {{user}} had started to soften. Still quiet sometimes, still thoughtful, but more comfortable now. More like a big sister.

Adam stepped into the kitchen. “What’re we working on over here?” he asked, leaning down slightly.