Emotions

By: Jess6

The light from the ceiling flickered as both Constable Benton Fraser and Detective Ray Vecchio looked at it and exchanged looks. They have been waiting for a waitress for at least twenty minutes. After a long day of solving a four-month-old case, Vecchio just wanted to have a decent meal before going home to rest.

"God, if this diner wasn't the only one open I would..." Vecchio trailed off in anger as the young waitress who let them in came over as the detective shut his mouth, "Have left!"

"Sorry, sirs for the delay." She took out the pen off her ear and a pad out of her white sack that was around her average waist; "My name's Alexandria and I will be your server for this evening. Our specials for today will be the soup, choice of chicken noodle or New England clam chowder with salad. We have a new dish, which is Quesdias. Are you ready to order?"

"No, we'll wait another twenty minutes to order.... what do you think?!

"Sir, I know I kept you waiting and if I were in your shoes, I would feel the same way. But I apologize for the inconvience it has caused."

"I believe we're ready to order, Ms." Benton generously replied to Alex.

"I'll have a burger, hold the mayo, fries on the side with a Pepsi." Ray quickly replied.

"How would you like your burger: well done, medium or rare?" The waitress wanted to know.

"Medium."

"And you, sir?"

"I'll have the soup and salad special with water, please." Fraser skimmed through the menu.

"Chicken or New England Clam Chowder?" The waitress asked.

"New England, please with Ranch dressing." The constable took Ray's menu and gave it to the girl.

"Thank you, sir. I'll be right back with your orders."

She left to the back and posted the notes on the swindling magnet near a cook, who was about to leave.

"No, I'm not cooking. My shift has ended." The cook told the gal.

"Please, Mac. I'll give you the tips from these guys." She pleaded.

"No, go. Make sure you clean up when you're finished." Mac nodded no and departed.

The teenager sighed and slammed the plastic cups on the metallic table.

Even though she was angry, she couldn't blame Mac. No one wanted to work at the small diner and the employers had to work double duty. The small restaurant was plummeting and the girl could foreshadow its demise. Staring at the clock that read ten, Alex knew she would be exhausted in the morning for school. Then she had to repeat this hellish experience. She poured both Pepsi and water into ice-filled cups and once they were filled, the waitress slammed the glasses on a plate. She then scampered to the late customers with a smile on her medium tanned face.

Swaying her hips back and forth, she slid the drinks on their table.

"Here are your drinks, guys. Your orders will be out soon."

"Thank you kindly." Fraser grinned.

"You're very welcome." The woman nodded politely.

Hearing the phone, she ran to it.

"Hello, Joann's Diner. This is Alexandria, how may I help you?" She clasped the phone on its third ring.

"Yeah, get your ass home now!" An older yet booming voice yelled violently.

"Dad, I've got unexpected customers. I have to serve them." The girl shifted herself to the back room.

"I don't give a damn if they weren't there or not. I want you home in fifteen minutes or else."

The father hung up as she closed the connection and then shed a tear. It rolled down her cheeks, as she rubbed them away from her face. She packed meat on her had and placed it on the grill. Fear filled her mind as she cooked. Flipping it over, she squished it down as the grease juiced out of the burger.

Her parents didn't understand her at all. Alex wanted freedom and privacy but they didn't care. Instead of granting privacy, her mom and dad started to control her. No more phone, TV, and computer. They also started to abuse her mentally as well as physically. Lex wanted to leave so badly, however school blocked her goal. She needed to complete her studies and make a move for her dream to be an actress.

Sliding the meat on a bun, she scooped the fries on the plate. The teen placed it on a tray and grabbed a soup cup.

"Hurry up, why don't ya? I wanna eat before I fall asleep!" Vecchio's sly remarks were heard in the walls.

Alexandria ignored him and poured the chowder in a soup cup and rinsed the sides of any access liquid. She scattered lettuce on a plate and dumped ranch dressing on it. Clanking the food on the tray, she came out and piled the plates on the table.

"I hope you enjoy your meal, gentlemen. If you need anything, don't hesitate to either yell for me or ring the bell on the counter."

"We certainly will." Fraser told her.

She departed to the back area as the officers ate their meals. The constable noticed a rather large bruise on her right arm. It seemed to be recent, due to its dark colors. He was rather concerned when he discovered it as well as redness around her eyes. She must have been crying in the cooking area.

"Ray, did you see our waitress rather flustered?" Benton wondered.

"No, I didn't. I was too busy wanting a decent meal." Vecchio complained, "And it's terrible!"

"On her right arm there's a bruise and she seemed timid when she was talking on the hone."

"For all we know, she could have bumped into something."

The waitress cleaned the fryers piece by piece. It was a greasy job but someone had to do it, and that someone was Lex. Once she was done with that, she washed down the counters as she starting dialing on the phone.

"Hello?" A female voice answered the other end.

"Hey there, Chica." Alex warmly talked to her colleague.

"What's up?"

"Ohhh, the same as usual."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Her friend asked.

"Would I be able to crash at your apartment tonight?" Alex wanted to know.

"Sure you can. Do you still have the key I gave you?" The woman asked her.

"Yep, I do." Alexis nodded.

"Feel to stay there as much as you want...but make sure you go to school and clean up after yourself."

"Thanks, 'Cesca. Bye."

She hung up the phone and then swept the floor from dirt on her shoes. The teenager moved her dishcloth to the tables and washed the seats as well as the table. Alex then wiped down the stools. Shifting to the occupied table, she noticed the constable and the detective finished his plate and cup.

"Are you finished with this, sir?" She asked.

"Yes, I am." He preciously smiled.

She gently took away the finished food.

"Do you want me to ring you guys out?"

"Why not?" Vecchio rolled his eyes.

Alex maneuvered herself to the register as the officers waited for the order to tabulate.

"Your order comes to $11.60."

Vecchio gave her the right amount of currency and glimpsed what his partner saw earlier...

...a purple bruise on her wrist! With a little bruise marking knowledge, Ray knew someone must have held down her wrists extremely tight.

"Excuse me, Ms. My friend and I couldn't help seeing a small bruise on your wrists. Could you tell us what happened?"

"I think that's none of your business." Alex looked up to meet the gaze of his face.

"On the contrary," Vecchio flashed his police shield at the girl, "Could you tell us what happened to cause that mark?"

"Nothing, I bumped into a counter and I bruise real easily."

The choice and expression of the girl seemed cool and steady, to hide the fact that she was in deep trouble with her overbearing parents. It seemed to work a little bit in on the detective but not the Mountie. His way of listening seemed skeptical and knew her predicament. That's what scared her, this man's level of determination.

"If you change your mind, here is a number to talk to the World's Most Nicest Person." The detective handed her a phone number on a card.

"Thank you but I believe I won't be needing this." She shook her head in disagreement, "I hope you guys have a nice night."

"Thank you, and the same to you." Fraser replied, his eyes seeing the truth behind her lies.

They left as she sighed heavily. That damn Mountie, how dare he try to butt into her personal life and try to help her out! No one can help her..not even herself.

Fraser and Vecchio opened the doors of the green 1972 Buick Rivera and climbed inside.

"You're right, there's something up with the girl. Tomorrow, I'll get more info on her." Ray agreed with Fraser.

***

The Chicago Police Department murmured with excitement as Ray stepped inside and maneuvered his way to his desk. He found two post-it notes and read them, one about a missing girl and a missing animal. Smirking evilly, he non-chalantly slipped the second note on Detective Huey's desk.

Vecchio's civilian aide Elaine Bresbis walked in just when the detective sat down at his desk.

"We got some more information on the runaway kid." Elaine shoved a file to Ray.

Looking inside, his jaw nearly dropped to the floor when he glimpsed the child's face....

...It was Alexandria, their waitress from the previous night!

Calming himself down, Ray's sister Francesca stopped at the desk.

"What do you want, Fran?" Ray asked rudely.

"Oh nothing. Just wanted to see how you and Fraser were doing."

"Bullshit."

"Ok, don't believe me." She rolled her eyes in disgust and then stared at the folder, "I'm wondering why you have a file on Alex?"

"You know her?" Fraser wondered.

"Yes, her parents are rude bastards and I offered her my apartment to stay if it ever got bad. Well, last night it did and she asked to use it last night. I let her use it but when I called to see how she was doing, all I got was the answering machine." So wherever she is, Alex is alone." Frannie explained.

"How did you two meet?"

"Through my work place, at that manicure place downtown Chicago. She works next to me and we began to talk and became friends. A couple of months ago I noticed a bruise on her arm but she tells me she fell. I leave it there and about a week later she tells me how her parents beat her and mentally abused her. Alexi tells me to not to tell a soul so I don't. I'm just worried she's going to get hurt by rapist or thieves on the streets."

"Don't worry, Francesca. We'll find her unscathed." Benton reassured her.

"Thanks, Fraser." Fran's agitated side turned into a smile and reluctantly left.

"Why would a girl take advice from my big mouthed sister?" Vecchio wanted to know.

"She probably had no one else to trust or run to. The most important factor is Alexis trusts your sister and we can act on that if necessary." Fraser pointed out, "Maybe she'll be more open if Francesca were with her during questioning."

"Or we can find her at my sister's apartment, question her and then haul her to the headquarters." Vecchio developed a better plan.

"Is that legal?"

"In a sense."

"If we do that, Alexis will think that your sister betrayed her and run. That's what she'll keep doing that until she has no where else to go." Fraser advised.

Alexis ran from the alley in the heat of terror. Her life wasn't worth living anymore because of her parents she hated so badly. A couple of men in their twenties chased after her. Their clothing showed they were in a gang of some sort. Their eyes fell to the trance of lust...just by staring at her. When she said no, they didn't take it as an answer. All she could possibly do was run, all the way to Fran's apartment for safety. The girl was almost there but she needed to keep her stamina in order to escape her unwanting fate.

Crossing the hectic streets, she pulled the entrance door open and climbed up the stairs. The group of rapists ceased their chase as the teen stopped running. Digging in her pocket, she opened the door to see Fran sitting down at the dining table. Lex then closed the door and entered the dining room.

"Hi, Frannie." Alex sat next to her colleague.

"Hey, Lexxie, what's up?"

"Nothin' just got home from work, that's all."

"Why weren't in school today?" Fran wanted to know.

"I was." Alexis said clearly but quickly.

"When I called the school office, they told me you were absent. Why are you skipping classes?"

"You wouldn't understand." The girl stood up in frustration.

"Just try us...I mean me." Frannie slipped.

"'We'? Who else is here?"

The woman nodded to Fraser and Vecchio who inched to the girl, revealing themselves. Staring at them, she thought she recognized the two. Then it dawned on her, the two were at the restaurant late last night. Alex looked at them, motionless.

"Lex, I can explain."

The teenage ran off followed by Fraser. Unlocking the door, Alex started to leave when Benton grabbed her waist and whipped her back inside. Her back pressed on the Mountie's stetson belt that was hinged to his right shoulder.

"Let go of me!" She yelled and tried to squirm out of Benton's clutches.

That didn't happen, he moved her back inside the small "home". Being set down gently, she was seated down next to Fran and adjacent to Fraser and Ray. Vecchio punched the record button on his small micro cassette player/recorder. He slammed it on the table as their talks began.

"Could you tell us about your parents?" Ray inquired.

"They don't do anything to me at all. They respect me." Alexi fibbed with a straight face.

"Why did you runaway?" Fraser questioned, looking in her lost eyes.

"Nothing, as I said before. There is nothing wrong. Why can't you just leave me alone? I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Yes, you're going to or I'll haul your ass down to the police station." The detective threatened her.

"You wouldn't." Lex shook her head, disagreeing.

"But I will."

"Over my dead body."

"That can be easily arranged." Ray smirked.

"Ray, that's enough!" Francesca ordered, "She's only a child, for god sakes. Don't you think she hears it enough at home?"

"You've told the cops 'bout me, Fran? Who else have you told?" Alex's rage started to temper.

"Alex, I didn't..."

"Yeah right...Well, I know in the end where my friend's stand. I'm outta here."

The girl dug out her cell phone and stormed into one of the back rooms. The kitchen became silent as Fraser followed the trails of the girl.

"Hi, this is Amy's voice line and this means my cell is not on or I didn't get to it on time. If you could leave your name and number after the beep I'll try to get back to you." The voice said in a chipper but whiny voice.

"Hey, Amy! What's up? This is Lex and I'm wondering if you could do me a favor and let me stay at your house. My car broke down and I'm in bad terms with my folks. Give me a call, bye."

The distraught teenager hung up her cell and stared out the window. The roads of Chicago were packed with cars, drivers that wanted to desperately go home and relax. The window was halfway open as she leaned against it. Her thoughts jumbled through her had as Fraser quietly opened the door a little bit. He stood there, watching her. Alex's cell phone rang annoyingly as she activated it.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, Lex. You called me?" Amy's voice chimed.

"Yes, I did. Would I be able to crash at your house for tonight?"

"Why?"

"My car isn't working and I'm stuck on James Street. I thought you listened to the message." Alexis bit her lip.

"I knew that you called but I didn't bother listening to the message you left. Why can't you get someone else?" She bitterly said.

"Excuse me?" Alex felt offensively hurt.

"You know, your other friends? I forgot, you don't have any other friends." Amy laughed and egotistically reported, "You're pathetic."

The dial tone rang in her ear as tears filled her lost eyes. She was alone...

Totally alone.

"What do you want?" lex told the quiet Benton.

This man dressed in red seemed awfully mysterious. So polite, cute and his words were caring.

No one ever treated her like this--well except Frannie...her only friend now. Her "acquaintances" (As she calls them) didn't give a shit if she lived or died but only needed her for advice and homework assignments.

That's the life she had, the life she was willing to tolerate.

"Ms, are you all right?" Benton walked in and placed his hands behind his back.

"Why do you wanna know? You're a Mountie, and this is Chicago. This isn't your place to help me." Alexandria told him the facts.

"That may be true but I assist my partner Detective Ray Vecchio on assignments like this. The question is why aren't you going to make a statement?"

"My parents will manipulate the courts to make me look like I'm a terrible child. You can't make me do anything I don't want to do."

"That is true but you're the only one that can make this type of violence end." Benton made a point.

"It won't, just make it worse. The last time I called the social workers on them it almost tore the family apart." The girl became extremely nervous.

"So it has happened before?"

"Correct."

"Can you tell me what happened?" Benton politely inquired.

"No, I can't." She nodded her head no.

"May I ask why?"

"I don't trust anyone..not even the cops...this is the year of betrayal." She started to sob, "First my acquaintances, my parents and now Francesca."

"Francesca didn't deceive you, she's trying to help you. You're going to be turning your backs on the person really cares about you." Benton wisely advised.

Suddenly the window she was leaning on gave out and Alexis screamed. Before the girl fell to her death, Fraser caught her hand. She dangled dangerously, as she just looked down in fright.

"Oh, my god!" Alex screamed while crying.

"I've got you..or can't you trust me?" Benton stated.

"Yes, yes! I trust you. I'll tell you everything."

Fraser pulled her up as the two Vecchio's rushed to hear the commotion. Pulling her inside to safety, Alex started to shake as involuntary as Frannie hugged her.

"Are you all right?" Lex's friend asked, "I'm so sorry about just sending in my bro and his partner. I should have asked you before..."

"It's ok, 'Cesca. I understand completely. I think I'm going to give you the scoop."

The group renounced the dining room table and sat down. Fran sat next to the runaway, followed by Ray and Ben.

"It all started on the night of Christmas when my parents and I were going out to a restaurant. I noticed that there wasn't a seat in the back of the car."

"What type of car was it?" Ray asked.

"A 1987 Mazda Z, it's a compact car. I say something to the fact I was in danger but they didn't care. I tell them I'm not going and that's when the hitting started. My father..." Alex paused attempting not to cry. Francesca placed a hand on hers to motion it was ok to continue, "took my right wrists and held it down with intense pressure. I felt like it was going to break off, he started yelling at me and eventually let go of my hand. They also yelled at me, saying I was worthless and a fucking bitch. I don't deserve anything and took everything I owned. The next day, I'm luckly I have electricty and heat. Never or less, I get ready for work. Before that my dad and I were in a heated arguement....This time he flung me on the wall and had hold of my neck...it hurt soo bad....I think left in fright."

"Did anyting else happen after the argument?" Benton wondered.

"Um, when I was working late, he called me and told me I had to go back home. I didn't know what else he was saying but he sounded like he was hungry and wanted me to fix him something. He hung up as I knew I had to runaway."

"Ok," Ray pressed the stop button on the tape recorder, "I'm going to write up a statement while my partner and my sister stay here. I will need for you to sign it then this problem will be solved."

The detective left as the girl just stared into space.

"Are you guys hungry at all?" Fran ended the dead silence perforating the room."

"Yes." Fraser smiled.

"No thanks." Alexis nodded no.

Everyone in Chicago that knew Frannie knew her obsession with the Mountie, who was extremely handsome. In this depressing situation, she postponed hitting on him. Fran's best friend was in trouble and it wouldn't help anyone if she started flirting with Fraser.

Alex could see why the woman was in love with the constable. His blue eyes warmed her sould and his husky voice was like a voice of an angel. His compassionate face frew the runaway in and believed his "nice guy" approach to solve a dilemma.

Cesca started cooking up a shrimp stirfry and Lex gazed at the food frying. She felt her thoughts drift into memories...

...violent memories.

It was one, cold night for Alex and her stomach growled in hunger. Feeling a craving for pasta, she filled a pan of water and hovered it over a stove to boil. Her parents weren't home and seven thirty crept by unexpectantly. The girl decided to make her own dinner and ease the pressure for a family meal.

While the water was heating up, her mother and father busted in, kissing and halfway undressed.

"What are you doing?" Her mother's voice shrieked.

"I was making my own dinner, you always told me if you weren't here by seven I could make my own dinner." Alex innocently informed them.

"Not anymore." Her father commented and proceeded to take the pan of noodles away from her, "Thank you for making this. Smells good."

"I made that for myself, dad. There's plenty more in the cabinet."

"You're not getting anything more to eat. No dinner for you." Her mother said, " You didn't follow my instructions so for your punishment you won't have anything to eat."

The girl ignore the two as she usually did and started to pick her mess up. When she grapped a dish cloth was when her father deliberately poured the hot contents of the pan on her left arm. Alexandria screamed as her skin started to melt from the intensity of the heat.

Even though the incident occured months ago, the girl could still feel the pain her scar gave her. No one cared to tend the wound so it never healed properly, causing it to be a "battle wound".

The teen wipted the horrific memory away and rubbed her arm that held the scar.

"Cold, hon?" Fran wondered.

"Just a little...I think I'll go lay down." Alex stated and plopped on the couch.

At the headquarters, Vecchio was busy writing a statement for the girl. While writing, he was lacking one thing-evidence. In order to prove the parents were abusing her, Ray needed pictures of bruises or scars. He shoved his hand on the table, tempered. There wasn't a scratch on Alex, not visibly anyway. The case would be ignored and she would be forced to run away from her family.

Grabbing his coat, he brought the statements with him as well as a Polaroid camera. Vecchio was determined to get evidence of abuse.

Lex rested from the exhaustion of her run and she was relaxing for the time being. She heard pounding on the entrance as Francesca answered it. Sitting up, Vecchio came in. From the look on his face, it expressed something important.

"Anything?" Francesca pondered.

"Where's the kid?"

"I have a name, you know. It goes by the tune of Alexandria." The girl shouted to him.

"Did you receive any cuts or bruises while your mom and dad were abusing you?

"No, why you ask?"

"Your statement won't go very far unless there's evidence to this abuse. It will back up your story so we won't have to question your parents." He explained.

The runaway couldn't tell them she held numerous wounds, she was too afraid to come forward. No matter if Fraser saved her or not.

"Are you sure you didn't receive bruises of any sort?" Benton repeated the question.

"Yes, I'm positive." The girl nodded.

The detective didn't believe a word of it at all. He walked over to the couch and pulled the sleeve of her right side up to her bicep. Francesca gasped as she looked at the bruise found by Fraser the other night plus the burn mark.

"Do you want to change your story or do you want me to pull up the other sleeve?" Ray wanted to know.

"There's another bruise on my neck and on my upper back." Alex whispered to him.

The police officer activated the Polaroid camera then pointed it at Alex's wrists. The flash struck like a disco ball as the small picture poured out of the bottom from the camera. Placing it on the living room table, he took a picture of the wrists. Lexis reluctantly pulled her hair to the side to expose a bruise showing someone tightly gripped her next from the back. Stopping, Lex felt emotionally ill, her past has been shown out and she wanted to just hide from the world.


However she was doing this to repay Benton, who saver her life. The cop scribbled dates on the back of the pictures.

"In order to make an official statement, I need you to sign this."

Obeying the command, she wrote her signature on the bottom of the paper.

She felt she was writing her life away. Setting down the pen, Fraser moved to her side and took a look at the scarry tissue. It was still healing, the scabs elevated, showing redness as blood pocketed in it. Searching in the pockets of his stetson belt, he found a Q-tip and a bottle. Squirting the liquid on the wound, he rubbed the medicine thoroughly.

"This will help heal properly." Fraser informed.

Once the constable stopped, the girl took off her sweater and showed her white tank top. Turning around, Alex brushed her hair away and felt the cold liquid on her neck. Her shoulders shrugged slightly.

"Thanks, Fraser." The runaway grinned.

"You're very welcome."

Ray grabbed the statement and left.

"What now?"

"Wait and see if the courts request a date for a trial. After that, your parents will be arraigned and confined in a prison. You would be placed with relatives until you're older and have a means of supporting yourself." Fraser explained.

"Lex, you can still live here until things settle down. IF you need to talk to someone, don't hesitate to tell Fraser or me. I know your other friends have turned their backs on you but we would never do that." Frannie piped in.

"Thank, Constable and Frannie. I really appreciate it."

The girl yawned and hugged to two. Alex wandered into the bed room and fell on the bed. In no time, she was asleep.

***

Months passed in the summer's breeze. Over that time, the constable lost track of Alexandria and so did Fran. Ever since the two hoped she was all right, through the girl experienced bad times.

On one sunny day, Fraser was in the park, walking Diefenbaker. The day treated the duo well. The breeze smelled sweet and the grass was greener than ever.

"Hey, Fraser! Wait up!" A familiar voice screamed at the mountie.

He turned around to greet Francesca running after him. Her face held a couple of tears and an envelope in her hand.

"Good afternoon, Franscesca." He gleefully responded.

"How's it going/"

"Pretty good and you?"

"Can't complain. I was told to give this to you." She handed him the small envelope.

"Thank you kindly."

"Don't mention it."

He tore open the envelope to reveal a letter of some kind. Unfolding it, the letter read:

Dear Constable,

I would like to thank you for your advice as well as patience. I learned from the suggestion you gave me and I'm living much safer than before.

My mom and dad were arrested short after Detective Vecchio made public the statement. I stayed at a shelter before the arraignment. I was told I had to go on the witness stand to testify. Even though I was terrified, I knew what I had to do to make my life better. That I learned from you.

They were convicted of child abuse and were in prison for ten years without parole. My relatives were informed of the situation and my aunt took me in. However, I had to make to Colorado and enroll in another school. I apologize for not keeping in touch with Fran or yourself.

Colorado is a beautiful state and quite interesting as well. You can see the mountains everywhere you go and it's quite captivating. People are friendly here and I have more friends who share the same values as myself.

I thank you again for assisting me during the hard times. I'll never forget you guys...ever. I'm planning to come back to Chicago, summer vacation started a few days ago. I'll be looking forward to talk to you again and catch up on what I missed.

Thank you kindly

Alexandria

The End!