Erin got up out of her chair slowly and headed for the door of Voight's office.
"No wait!" Riley said jumping out of her chair and facing Erin. "You can't tell. Please.."
"I'm not. I'm just going to tell my boss that we're going to be using his office for a little longer." Erin said calmly.
Riley didn't protest further, only stood there in teary silence.
Erin returned to the office a few minutes later after having spoke to Voight, to find Riley sitting on the floor with her back leaning against the wall, her knees tucked against her chest. Erin sat down like wise beside her. The sat in silence for a few minutes before Erin spoke. "How old are you?"
"15." Riley said quietly, avoiding Erin's eyes.
"Ok." Erin said softly but assuringly. "And what's your name?"
"..Riley Albright." Riley finally said.
"Albright, that's a pretty name. So tell me Riley.. How'd you wind up on the streets?" Erin asked.
"I ran away." Riley said turning her tear-stained eyes to meet Erin's. "My father was abusing me... He'd been abusing me since I was 11..almost 12. I don't know what happened.. one day he was himself and then the next he wasn't. He just came home angry one day and beat me. I thought it was my fault you know? Like maybe I had done something bad or wrong. But then it happened again and it became more of a daily thing and I knew it couldn't be my fault, it just couldn't be! At first I let it slide.. he was my father.. I loved him. But he never stopped and it just got worse and worse. He pulled me out of public school and made me do online school so no one could see the marks. I lost the few friends I had from being so isolated. It was just me and him in that house.. until I took off. He hit me in the face with his impact baton..that's what caused the particle blindness in my one eye... after that.. I knew I couldn't stay there anymore."
"Where was your mother during all this?" Erin said. Her heart was hurting for this young girl.
"She's dead. Died in a car accident when I was 3. I don't remember her much." Riley answered.
"Riley, why didn't you go to the police?" Erin asked.
"I did... they didn't believe me.. refused to believe me." Riley said quietly.
"That doesn't make sense." Erin said.
"Sure it does. My father's their chief of detectives." Riley said.
"Where?" Erin asked. Taking it all in.
"Evergreen Park." Riley said, whipping her tears on her sleeve and looking away from Erin.
"That's 15 or 16 miles from here." Erin said.
"I came as far as I could on foot." Riley murmured. She looked back at Erin.
"Please don't tell. If you do, they'll send me back! I wanted to help you with your murder case but I couldn't. You're cops. If I gave you my name or told you my real age then you'd have to report me. I can't go back Erin.. I won't." Riley cried. She was on her feet now, staring at the detective.
"I have to at least tell my boss." Erin told the young girl.
"No!" Riley yelled and started to back away from her.
"Riley" Erin said as she stood up. "He can help me to help you. He saved my life."
"He'll turn me in!" Riley said, tears pouring from her eyes. Her voice was full of desperation.
"No he won't. I promise.. Riley, look at me." Erin had her hands on the girl's shoulders now. "I promise."
Riley looked straight into Erin's eyes and stopped struggling.
"Trust me." Erin said, almost pleaded.
At that moment Riley leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Erin's neck. Crying into her as she hugged her. Erin was shocked, and a little stunned but quickly pushed all that away and hugged Riley back.
"It's ok Riley, Its's ok... You're safe.. It's gonna be ok."
When Riley was calm and her tears were dry, Riley and Erin walked out of the police station.
"What now?" Riley asked.
"Now you have to make a choice." Erin said.
Riley gave have a confused look.
"At the beginning of all this I gave you my word that I wouldn't force you to stay... that as soon as your leg was healed you could go. If you wanna run I'll turn my back and you can just disappear." Erin said.
Riley didn't move. Just stood there on the sidewalk, staring at Erin.
"But if you truly want a better life than what you've been dealt with then I will help you get to the other side. And I will do my everything in my power to keep you safe. The choice is your's and your's alone. What's it gonna be Riley?" Erin said.
Riley though long and hard for several minutes. Erin could see her mulling over her options in her mind. She could see that girl wanted to trust her but Erin didn't know if fear would win out in the end.
Finally Riley spoke. "I'd.. I'd like to go back to the Fire Station... if that's alright..?"
Erin smiled and let got of the breath she'd been holding. "Yes, that's perfectly alright."
"Is he your dad?" Riley asked on the car ride over to Firehouse 51.
"Who?" Erin said.
"Your boss. Is he your dad?" Riley said.
Erin chuckled. "Sort of."
"Sort of?" Riley questioned.
"He's known me since I was 13. He adopted me when I was not much older than you." Erin said.
Riley nodded.
"He's good police," Erin continued. "He's a bit of a cowboy sometimes but he does what needs to be done every time."
Erin pulled up in front of the Firehouse and she and Riley got out.
"So uh I'm going to talk to my boss tonight." Erin say as she was getting Riley resettled in.
Riley gave a little nod.
"I'm on shift till late tomorrow, but as soon as I'm off I'll swing by and let you what's up, ok?" Erin said.
"Sounds like a good plan." Riley relied.
Erin gave the young girl a reassuring smile and left to go talk to Voight.
"Piece of shit.." Voight gruffted after Erin told him who Riley was and what her father had done to her. They were having diner at Lou Mitchell's. "Pick'n on his own kid who can't even defend herself."
"Do you know her dad? Chief Albright of the Evergreen Park detectives?" Erin asked.
Voight shook his head. "I've heard of him... He's a decorated officer."
"I could have Jin do a little digging on him, see what we can find out?" Erin suggested.
"Good idea.. do it." Voight said. "And as far as our other case goes here's what we're gonna do... Riley's going to tell us what she saw and hopefully we can use that intel to find perusable leads that will lead to an arrest. If that happens then-"
"Riley wouldn't have to testify." Erin said.
"And we wouldn't have to put her name on any piece of paper neither." Voight finished.
"And if her information or descriptions doesn't lead to anything we can independently pursue?" Erin asked.
"We'll worry about that bridge if we come to it." Voight said.
After diner, Voight and Erin had a few causal drinks and talked like good friends, coworkers, and families do.
"You know Voight, you're not the big old bear everyone thinks you are." Erin said as they left the restaurant.
Voight ruffled her hair as they were about to part ways. "Don't spread it around."
They both smiled.
R&R! :)