"Get on the floor, now!" yelled Sherriff Lamb as he, Sacks and some other deputies burst into the warehouse bar with guns drawn. The deputies patted down the men in the warehouse bar and confiscated any weapons. Everyone was being cuffed and taken in for questioning. There weren't many men, but they were all suspects in a drug dealing case gone worse. Lamb noticed a small figure crumpled on the ground in the dark far corner and walked close yelling "Hey, you, up now. Get off the ground. Hands behind your back, and get against the wall. NOW." His yelling received no response and he continued closer. Lamb was almost next to the body when he noticed that the body was shirtless and her skirt was ripped in half. Lamb rushed forward and gently felt for a pulse, he found one. He brushed the woman's blond hair from her face and swore when he recognized the face.
Sacks noticed Lamb crouched over something and went to his side. He too noticed the young woman's face and swore before gasping "Veronica." Lamb glanced around the room and noticed a t-shirt he guessed was Veronica's a few feet away. Suddenly it didn't matter that Veronica had undermined his every step. It didn't matter that he'd sworn to loath her. It didn't matter there was so much damn hate between them. All that mattered was getting Veronica the hell out of there.
Gently Lamb lowered Veronica into the cruiser and threw the keys to Sacks. He stripped his own shirt off and buttoned it onto Veronica and draped his thick jacket over her legs while he climbed into the back seat with her. Supporting Veronica's head in his lap Lamb thought back on memories tainted and willed Sacks to drive faster. The sooner they got to the hospital the better.
'Donnie. Why'd you become a cop?'
'Um, Geez Goldilocks. I don't know. I guess just so I could help people who need help.'
'So if I'm ever in trouble…you'll help me right?'
'Why? You plan on getting in trouble?' Veronica smiled mischievously at Don before throwing the basketball at him.
Lamb whispered the words into Veronica's hair that he'd meant to say that day, "I'll always help you, Goldilocks." He knew he had betrayed his own words but he wished he hadn't.
He watched as Veronica climbed from Lily's car. She had changed so much since he'd first met her. Her baggy boys' clothes had been replaced with semi-tight ones. She no longer played sports, she cheered for them. She wore makeup, and hung with the 09er crew. She was now different. Veronica blew a kiss to Lily through the car window and waited until Lily's car was out of sight before turning, smiling and running towards Don. She threw her arms around him and laughed 'Happy Birthday Deputy Don.' Okay, maybe not so different. Covering his eyes with one hand she used her other hand to pull him towards the lounge room. 'I smell bread.' Stated Don.
'Wrong. Guess again.' Don opened his eyes and saw a huge cake on the table before him. It was amazing – huge, with images of guns, sports, and a Sheriff badge. Don wasn't sure what to say, no one had ever gone to so much effort for his birthday before. 'And that's not all. You've still got your present'… She may dress differently, hang with different people, do things in another way; but she's still the same girl deep inside. And that's what's so great about her.
Lamb wondered if the same still applied. She dresses differently, hangs with different people, does things in another way; but is she still the same girl deep inside?