Sharon slumped in her chair, holding letters that felt more like lead than paper.

"How..." she asked again.

"I just found them," Emma said, then tried to change the subject once more. "Does it really matter how? We know about them now and can do something about the threats."

"Do something..." Sharon mumbled to herself.

The two women sat in silent contemplation once more, neither wanting to share their innermost thoughts and fears.

"I just..." Sharon started after awhile.

"It's me," Emma said definitively.

"You?"

"Yes."

"So you're making this about you? About your case? I thought this was about Rusty."

"It is, but it's also about me. He didn't tell anyone about those letters because of me."

Sighing, Sharon shifted in her chair, "I think there might have been more to it."

"Possible..." Emma nodded, "but if I hadn't told him what I wanted to do after the first letter, he wouldn't have hidden the rest."

"Rusty doesn't get off the hook that easily."

"I know, but I put him in this situation and I don't get off the hook either."

"You're not telling me something important. You didn't just happen upon these letters. Be honest, DDA Rios, how did you find these?"

"Why don't you believe I found them? They weren't exactly well hidden."

"Hidden in plain sight is usually better than hidden behind countless walls, but you know that already. Something led you to look for these. What else do you know about these threats?" Sharon adjusted her glasses, then turned to look at Emma as she crossed her arms.

Noticing the intense stare, Emma raised her hands in surrender, "You know what I know. That's all I can tell you."

"Fine," Sharon nodded slowly, though obviously unconvinced, "and since we know the same things, what are you going to do about it?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Since this is all because of you, in your estimation, what do you suggest we do?"

"Well... like I said when we found the first letter, Rusty needs to be in protective custody. These other letters only make that more pressing."

Sharon's sharp intake of breath made Emma turn away from the older woman.

"I can't do this to him," Sharon whispered.

"You heard Chief Taylor, this isn't your call anymore."

"He trusts me."

"And you trusted him, and look what happened."

"So, you're making it my fault too? My neglect."

"No..." Emma sighed in exasperation, "I just... it..." She growled in frustration before she finished her sentence.

"Be very careful about what you say next DDA Rios."

"Are you threatening me?"

"If that's what it takes."

"Look... the law is clear here. If a witness is threatened, he or she needs to be put into protective custody until the trial is over at the very least, or until we ascertain that their safety is no longer in danger. You know that as well as I do. And quite frankly, since you are compromised in this situation, I can't trust that you will leave your emotions out of this decision."

"But you can remain free of emotions?"

"I didn't say that, but I'm not close to the child. In fact we can pretty much agree that he hates me and wishes I would disappear along with this trial and everything else bad that's happened in his life."

"We agree there."

"There's only so much anyone can do in this situation, and when Chief Taylor returns, he is the one who will make the decision."

"Based on your recommendation."

"I had to say what I think. You might only be thinking about Rusty, but I have to look at the wider implications to this trial. I can't be swayed by emotions, and if you weren't so close, you wouldn't be either."

"So I'm just speaking from my emotions?"

"On this issue, yes. Look, we can go around and around this how ever many times you want, but the bottom line is Rusty is no longer protected. He never really was."

Sharon closed her eyes and sighed as she shook her head. "I want to know why DCFS kept giving him these letters and didn't bother to tell me about them."

"That's something else I have to look into," Emma nodded. "I can't rule out that the threats might come from inside DCFS to begin with, since they didn't follow procedure. I had to inform my boss about it, and she will be opening an investigation in conjunction with the LAPD. These letters aren't just about Rusty anymore, but about how many ways he's vulnerable. And whether you like it or not, Captain, he is vulnerable."

"How am I supposed to tell him everything is going to change? How can I do that to him?"

"It won't be forever."

"Teenagers don't understand the difference between 'now' and 'forever'. They are both cataclysmic from a teen's perspective, and Rusty has already lost so much he should have been able to count on."

"That's just part of his life as a witness. He has to accept that."

"How? How is he supposed to accept something that never seems to stop damaging his relationships and his security. He doesn't trust people easily. He has so few people in his life. He's just broken his friendship with Kris... Kris!" Sharon said again, putting the pieces together, "he told Kris about the letters and she told you, didn't she. What was this? An attempt to get back at him for hurting her?"

Sharon turned to Emma to read her expression, and under the harsh 'Raydor Glare', Emma couldn't school her features fast enough.

"So, she told you to hurt Rusty?"

"There's nothing malicious in this," Emma said, trying to get back on top of this situation.

"Nothing malicious... so she did this out of concern."

"For the record, I'm not saying one way or another that anyone spoke to me about the letters."

"For the record... so Kris doesn't want Rusty knowing that she's the one to betray him."

"Betray is a harsh word when we're talking about someone's safety."

Sharon nodded, "I see... so we are just going to keep up the farce that you were snooping rather than directed to the right cabinet door when the cleaning staff didn't even find them."

"Does it really matter?"

"It might to Rusty."

"Seems to me he'll have enough to worry about knowing we have the letters and he can't hide anymore."

"Did you tell Kris you would lie to Rusty?"

"I didn't say anything about anyone. You are jumping to conclusions due to your emotional investment with no basis in fact, and you are trying to veer away from the real issue, and that's Rusty's safety in the face of these threats."

"So you promised her confidentiality."

"What are you? A dog with a bone? Stop sidestepping the issue based on nothing but conjecture. The lines are very clear here. The people involved are you, me, Chief Taylor and Rusty, and to a lesser extent, my case. Don't bring anyone else into it."

"Fine... have it your way. I just hope Kris knows the can of worms she opened."

"The threats, okay? The threats, that's the issue, and I'm pretty sure your tech and analysis guys will tell you they weren't written by a 16 year old girl with a crush."

"This is going to break his heart," Sharon sighed, finally changing the subject.

"It could be worse."

"It's just house arrest by another name."

"He'll manage."

"I'm not so sure."

"Well, then he'll have to understand the alternatives. And he'll have to understand by keeping those letters hidden, he took the power out of your hands. You can't do anything to stop this now, Captain. He has to know that."

"He already carries so much guilt."

"Yeah, well that's the name of the game when you play with the big kids."

"That's harsh."

"No, that's reality. You can only outrun the system for so long before things crumble around you. When he gets here, I'm going to make sure he knows what his options are and what I'm prepared to do."

"He won't see those as much of a choice."

"He doesn't really have a choice in how he's going to live. We can only compromise so far on this."

"I know..."

"Do you?"

Sharon gave Emma an unflattering look, "Yes, DDA Rios, I do understand the nature of compromise.

"Good, so will you tell him or will I?"

"Another choice that's not really a choice?"

"It's what I'm offering, take it or leave it."

"We are talking about a witness here, DDA Rios, not a criminal."

"Right now, he's a witness I can't trust. You should be grateful I'm willing to even compromise this much."

"Your entire case will be lost if you don't."

"I know that, which is why I'm willing to go this far."

"It's house arrest."

"Call it what you want, just as long as we're agreed. Rusty doesn't go to school anymore, he doesn't meet with friends, he doesn't go out on his own, he has limited access to internet and cell phones, and I'll let him continue living where he is. If he can't agree to that, then we take him as soon as he arrives and put him under guard, and move him around the country to keep him safe. How he's going to live isn't up for discussion anymore. It's just a matter of whether he stays with you or not. No matter what, he's under constant protection. He's tied all our hands. Now, are you going to tell him or will I?"

Standing, Sharon wiped a tear from her cheek, then straightened her jacket. "We can all tell him how things are going to play out, but first, I'm going to meet him in the hall. Excuse me."

Taking one more deep breath, Sharon headed for the door.