Hello! New chapter today! Thank you all for fallowing this story. I write this as a way to entertain people during these difficult times. A new chapter on Thursday! Enjoy and be safe :)

Chapter 11

Dani arrives back home from school. She unlocks the door and places her stuff away. She enters the living room where she sees Emily sitting on the couch with an older lady next to her. The lady was short, pale, and had grey hairstreaks. It was the social worker, Ms. Jones. The social worker noticed Dani at the entrance of the living room and stood up.

"Hello, Dani. Nice to see you again," said the older lady, stretching her hand for a shake.

"Nice to see you too, Ms. Jones," Dani replied, shaking the woman's hand.

Dani sits down next to Emily while the social worker sits on the other couch, face to face to both of them.

"So Emily, how have you guys been since the last visit? Any problems?" asked the lady, with a pen and clipboard in hand.

"We have been pretty good," answered Emily. "No issues so far."

"Is she attending school and the doctors regularly?"

"Yes, she has," Emily said while nodding.

"Any instances of running away?" the older woman asked.

"No. None at all," Emily replied with an assertive tone.

"That is very good. With the number of times you have run away from foster homes, Dani, you would have been placed in another branch of the system." Said the woman looking at Dani with a stern face. Dani nodded, biting her lip. Emily places her hand on top of Dani's, as a sign of reassurance.

"Agent, I know your job requires you to move across the country when needed. Is everything handled in regards to Dani's wellbeing while you are gone?"

"Yes. When I have a case that is out of state I always ensure Dani has everything she needs. I have a friend who checks on her and Dani can always call or text me if she needs anything." Emily replied.

Ms. Jones writes down notes of what Emily said. "Okay Dani, do you feel comfortable in the current house and school?"

"Yes. I feel comfortable here. I enjoy my school." Dani said.

"Okay. Have you been back to your hometown for any reason?"

"Yes. To go visit friends."

"Any interactions with gang members. Specifically, the gang in which your father was involved with." The lady asked with a raised eyebrow.

Dani frowns at the question. "No. Like I have mentioned before, I never took part in anything that is affiliated with Marco." Dani said in a stern voice.

"Are you sure? Your family does have a history with gangs."

"I'm positive," she replies. Emily raises her brow questioning the social worker's insistence on this topic.

"Have you ever contacted your biological father?"

Dani shakes her head. "No. I haven't seen or heard from him in years," Dani replied, sounding slightly annoyed. She didn't like when people connected her and her father. The only connection they have is blood. Her father never wanted anything to do with her or the rest of her family. All he wanted was money and power. Dani never wanted anything to do with the man who only brings her trouble.

"Sounds fair," replied the older woman. "He doesn't have any legal rights when it comes to you anyways. He-"

"Gave it up the second I was born," Dani replied coldly. Emily looked at her worried about what was going through Dani's mind. Dani just looked at the floor while the social worker was talking to Emily. They were talking about Dani's new school, extracurricular activities and other stuff Dani failed to pay attention to.

The social worker took a look around the house in order to ensure that Dani had ideal conditions to live in. Dani knew that the only reason the lady was doing this is due to the fact that Emily works with law enforcement and therefore knew how the system worked. Dani just shook her head while the lady was inspecting. Dani would remember the times when she would stay in foster homes that were not in living conditions. In some homes, it would be small and crowded with foster kids, barely having a decent place to sleep. In other homes, they would do sketchy stuff like drugs. In others, Dani wasn't treated the best. The people who were supposed to take care of her would either insult, harass, or even hit her. Dani gets mad when thinking about this. The times she actually needed the social worker to stop by for an inspection, they would never appear. And yet, the social worker questions why she would run away? Who wouldn't? It just wasn't fair.

The social worker was done with her inspection and spoke to Emily. She finally left telling them she would be back in a month.

Emily closes the door and enters the kitchen where Dani is serving herself a cup of orange juice. "Well, I think that meeting was pretty decent," Emily said.

Dani places her cup on the table and crosses her hands across her chest. "For you," Dani said with her brows raised. "She basically affiliated me as a gang member."

Emily looks at Dani with sorry eyes. "I also didn't like the way she said those things. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Dani said, shaking off her thoughts. "I should get used to it by now. I am the daughter of a gang leader. People see his actions reflected on me," Dani murmured, sitting down on a chair.

Hey, that's not true," Emily said. She walks towards Dani and stands behind her. Emily wraps her arms around Dani's shoulders, who is still sitting. "You reflect no one's actions but your own, Dan. trust me when I tell you that you have demonstrated how much of a great person you are."

"Not everyone sees that though," Dani said.

"Well, it looks like you have to prove them wrong, love," Emily responded. She smoothes Dani's hair, planting a kiss on her head and walks to the living room. Dani stays in the kitchen reflecting on what Emily told her. Would it be possible to prove to others that she is different from her father? Would her past actions always haunt her? It appears it would be an endless battle to prove that she is a better person. Dani is determined to never follow in her father's footsteps.

Emily was in the living room when she received a call from JJ.

"Hey, JJ," Emily answered the call.

"Hey, Em. How have you been?" Question the blonde agent.

"I'm doing pretty well. Just spending the afternoon with Dani."

"That's great Em," JJ replied. "Will and I were wondering if you guys wanted to join us for a cookout? Reid and Garcia will also be there."

"That sounds like fun. When will it be?"

"This Saturday in the afternoon. We want to have one last cookout before it starts to get cold."

"That sounds great. We will be there," Emily said.

"Awesome!" JJ exclaimed. "You should warn Dani though. Henry and Michael are dying to play soccer with her," JJ says with a chuckle.

"I will deliver the warning," Replied Emily with a smile.

"Okay. Bye Em."

"See you."

Emily hangs up and places her phone down.

"Who was it?" She hears Dani ask from the kitchen.

"Are you ready to get crushed by two kids in soccer this Saturday?"