ETHEREAL [ADAM RUZEK 1]

TWO

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"Ma'am listen-"

"No, you listen. My seven year old daughter is in that building and you're telling me she shot the guy who stormed into the school? I need to see her." Brynnly said and the officer squinted and looked at Brynnly.

"How does a seven year old know how to fire a weapon?" He asked and Brynnly cocked her head back and clenched her jaw.

"The same way you did. My brother was in the Army, my father was a cop, Detective Clarke of the 21st." She said and the officer went to say something but Logan walked up to them and spoke.

"Miss Clarke?" She asked and Brynnly looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"My name is Detective Logan Severide, I was on scene when your daughter fired the weapon, you can see her now." Logan said and Brynnly sighed and Logan squinted and spoke.

"I just want to let you know, your daughter gave us her last name there. One of our Detectives has some... questions for you. His name is Adam Ruzek." She said and Brynnly's eyes widened.

"No, that's not possible I-" She went to say but then Adam cut her off.

"Brynnly?" He asked and Logan gave her a curt nod and turned to leave. Brynnly blinked, looking back at Adam and he raised an eyebrow looking at her and he spoke.

"I-I don't-" He went to say but Brynnly shook her head.

"Don't, Adam." She said and Adam raised his eyebrows and spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me, Brynnly?" He asked and Brynnly glared at him and spoke.

"I tried to! Seven years ago before you said you were going to leave to the academy!" She said and before he could reply a child's voice spoke.

"Mommy!" 

"Maddie!" Brynnly said and bent down, Madelaine crashing into her mother's arms.

"Oh my god, baby, what happened?" Brynnly asked and Maddie placed her head in the crook of Brynnly's neck and she looked up at Adam. He gulped and bent down and looked at Maddie.

"Maddie?" He asked and Maddie pulled back and Adam spoke, looking at him.

"Can you tell me what happened?" He asked and the sound of sirens going off behind them startled the young girl.

"I-I can drive you guys to the district, we can talk there." He said and Brynnly nodded and she picked up her seven year old and they walked over to Adam's car.

Brynnly placed Maddie in the back, buckling her seat belt and then she walked to the passenger's seat and all of a sudden, deja vu hit her.

"I told you not to be going out with that Ruzek boy again." Brynnly's father, Thomas Clarke said looking at his youngest child, who sat in the passengers seat of his detective car.

"Dad, we were just hanging out!" She exclaimed and the man squinted and spoke. "With his tongue halfway down your throat? I think not." He said and Brynnly rolled her eyes and spoke

"You let Jeff and Hunter get girlfriends when they were my age!" She yelled and Thomas spoke nodded.

"Your right, I did. They also didn't date one of Bob's kids, Brynnly. And you're a lot younger than them." He said and Brynnly rolled her eyes and leaned her head back.

"I don't understand you sometimes. You tell me I'm mature, and like an adult then when I want some freedom you tell me no?!" She asked and Thomas looked at her and spoke.

"You just can't be spending every waking moment with Bob's son. No. You go there when you wake up, before you go to bed, for dinner, breakfast, no more, Brynnly. You skip school to hang out with that little shit. Something's going to happen, you'll get pregnant and then what?" He asked yelling at her and Brynnly shook her head and sighed.

"Whatever." She mumbled and he drove her home.

"Brynnly." Adam said, causing Brynnly to turn her head towards him.

"What?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing inwards.

"I asked if you were hungry." He said and Maddie smile and spoke.

"Me! Me! Me!" She yelled and Adam looked back at her and she nodded.

"Whatcha feeling like eating squirt?" He asked, his tone coming out naturally and she gave him a devilish smile and spoke.

"Taco Bell!" She yelled and Brynnly sighed softy and Adam gave her a small smile and turned up the music and spoke, knowing she couldn't hear him. American Pie by Don McLean came out and Maddie smiled.

"Brynnly, we gotta talk about this." He said and Brynnly nodded and spoke softly. "I know, I know, it's just. For the past seven years it's been just us with Hunter and Jeff, but after Jeff started doing medical school it devasted her and I- I can't have you come into her life if you're going to leave it, Adam." She said and then looked down at her hands in front of her.

"Madelaine is the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet. She- She's an old soul, she always reminded me of your mother." She said softly and Adam looked in the rearview mirror and spoke.

"I want to be in her life, Brynnly. I want her to know who her father is. I don't want her to wonder why he wasn't there." He said and Brynnly breathed in a long breath and then nodded.

"Fine, but on my conditions until she warms up to you." She said and Adam nodded and watched as Maddie started singing the chorus