Title: Southeast Washington D.C. 1988

Author: Elizabeth Bennet-Darcy

Disclaimer: They are not mine for keeps. I'll just borrow them, play very carefully and put them back unharmed (relatively).

Summary: The senior staff, plus two, on the day before their tenth birthdays. Mainly focuses on their relationships with their fathers.

Spoilers: Various episodes, but nothing too telling.

Rating: PG13 for gang activity

SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON D.C. 1988

He walked east three blocks, staring at the ground. He crossed at 17th and walked on the other side of the street for a block and a half carefully looking in the shop windows and nowhere else. He crossed back over to the north side of the street after the Chinese laundry but before the pawn shop. He tried to run as fast as he could past the basketball court and then would quickly walk the final block making sure he ran his hand along the wall of the Police Station. Once at the Station he would check to see who was patrolling his neighborhood at five p.m. and wait for them to drive him home. It was the route he took twice a week after his advanced math class at the Rec. center.

Charlie flattened himself against the chain link fence. "Almost," he thought to himself before turning and climbing the twelve foot chain link fence in order to get out of the way to the brawling fist fighters that were at his feet. He dropped lightly on the other side of the fence and walked backwards, he was smart enough to know that you never turn your back to a street gang, until he was standing against the wall. Having put as much distance and as many obstacles between himself and the clash, he was able to ascertain the players. A quick look told him that he was witnessing one of the safer street fights in gang warfare, a jump in. Everyone in the group had the same colors and identical bandanas some where on their person.

The newest potential member of the gang was getting beaten pretty decidedly, but was holding his own enough to garner respect from the group. One of the leaders suddenly decided that he had seen enough, the inductee was deemed worthy, for now. The majority of the group scattered, but a few helped the new gang member into the basketball court and propped him against the wall near Charlie.

Charlie looked at the young black man sitting near him and gasped. It was JaVonte Pryson, a sixteen-year-old that lived in Charlie's building. Charlie had always liked him. He was a great basketball player and was really smart. He was the one who taught Charlie when to avoid eye contact and when to let the people on the street to know that you knew they were there, but you weren't gonna give them any trouble. He had once stood up for Deanna when some bully twelve-year-olds tried to take her jump rope. Charlie had looked up to JaVonte after his father left.

JaVonte smiled at him through two swelling eyes and a fat lip, "Look at me Charlie! Man, I made it, I'm in a gang. Man, I got family, I got respect. Charlie, you do the right things and in a couple years I'll get you here."

"Th...Thanks JaVonte. I... I gotta go, my mom..." Charlie said as he ran back to the fence. He paused at the top to look at the Washington Monument, its red light blinking against the twilight. Washington fought for freedom, but this wasn't freedom, this was survival.

Charlie ran the rest of the way to the Police Station. His mother was at the front desk pacing. "Mom."

"Charlie, where were you? You scared me to death. Don't you ever be late again," she said hugging him tight and kissing his cheeks and forehead. "Do you understand me?" she asked holding him at arms length. "Now, Captain Reed is going to take you and Deanna home. You lock all the locks on the doors and keep the T.V. down so Mrs. Carlson doesn't complain. I'll be home around nine."

"Ready to go there, chief?" Captain Reed asked. Charlie grabbed Deanna's hand and nodded. He followed Captain Reed to his car which was the nicest car he'd ever been in.

They were three blocks from their apartment when they had to stop to let a long line of police cars, black Suburbans, black town cars and black limousines pass. "What was that?" Charlie asked.

"That was the Presidential Motorcade, son," Captain Reed said. "Probably the closest we'll ever get to the President.

Charlie nodded and watched the receding police cars. He'd seen a commercial on T.V. that said anybody could grow up to be President. He thought of JaVonte bleeding, swollen and proud on the black top of the basketball court. Tomorrow Charlie would have to find a new role model, because tomorrow Charlie would turn ten.