Brass picked up the phone when it rang, and he said hello.
"Hello, dad, it's me, Ellie."
"Ellie, what's wrong, what do you need?" He asked in a panicked voice.
"No, nothing's wrong, I just needed to ask you something."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Can you come down here to see me? I was given a summons for Dakota's case, and I'm kinda scared."
"Sure Ellie, I can come down."
"Good, thanks. Oh, and I've moved, here, I'll tell you the address ok?"
"Alright," he replied, and then he wrote down the address to her new apartment.
"Ok, that's all, I'll see you then."
"Ok, goodbye Ellie. I'll see you soon."
"Bye dad, thanks."
"It's no problem."
So they hung up, and Brass was genuinely puzzled about Ellie's change of character. His superior reluctantly gave him a few weeks off, and then he went off to LA to see Ellie.
He drove down the address that she had given him. He was surprised that the neighborhood was so much nicer than her last one. He went into the apartment complex, and he knocked on her door. She answered it shortly thereafter, and she smiled at him. He was amazed. Her hair was nicely curled around her face, and she was wearing a normal outfit, she even smiled at him.
"Ellie, you're different."
"I know. I went to the clinic that was on the card you left me. They changed my life. I was waiting until I was totally on my feet until I called you, but since the summons came I needed to see you sooner."
"It's ok," he said, he was getting emotional.
"Do you want to come in? I can get you something to drink if you want, nonalcoholic of course, because I'm trying to get clean."
"Sure, do you have orange juice?"
"Yep, I'll get you some, why don't you take a seat," she said as she headed into the kitchen.
"Ok." He went in and sat down. He looked around, it was a scarcely decorated place with not much of anything in it, but it was a nice place. She came back in a minute later and she handed him a glass, she had a cup of water for herself.
"So, what do you think of my new life?"
"I'm proud of you Ellie, you're actually going down a new track."
"I know, I needed to make some changes in my life, and well, I've figured out what I want out of life now, I'm not trying to destroy myself anymore."
"That's good."
"I decided that I want to help out people like me in the clinic. They're willing to help me get the classes I need to work there, and then I'll be in a real job where I can make a difference."
"I always knew that you could Ellie."
"Thank you."
"Now, about that summons, what do you need my help with?"
"I'm scared, I don't feel safe because of who he is. I'm afraid that I'll be killed or something."
"Don't worry about it, I'll be here to protect you."
"Thank you dad. So, do you want to help me know how to sound like I know what I'm talking about out there?"
"Sure honey."
TBC...
Thanks to the people who reviewed..csifreak04, CSI Kennedy, P. S. L. Szmanda,