From Me To You

ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

The older woman stared at gabby intensely, the way the kids eyes shone a piercing shade of blue bow that she had cried, they were mesmerising... Gabby sniffled, "I don't wanna go to juvie..." she shook her head. Erin smiled sadly, "I know you don't, which is why you're gonna tell me what's really going on, okay?" She squeezed gabbys shoulder. The teenager nodded, "it was for my mom..." she sighed heavily and leant back against the backboard. Erin's heart shattered...

"My mom told me to score her some ice, like she usually does, so I agreed because I don't like seeing her in pain without it. Then the other cops caught me... I just didn't want my mom taken away from me, so I lied to you all. I'm sorry..." she rambled on.  Erin smiled sadly, "hey, I get it sweetie. I really do... you know, when I was your age, I was in the exact same position as you are right now" she nodded.  Gabby looked up through teary, crystal blue eyes, "you were?" She sniffled. Erin nodded, "my mom's an addict, maybe not as bad as she used to be, but she still uses sometimes. She always used to rely on me to do everything when I was a kid, and my step dad wasn't a nice guy either, but I was too uninterested to know him, so I know exactly how you feel gabby" she smiled sadly.

Gabbys heart skipped a beat, she doesn't know her real dad, but her stepdad isn't a nice guy to say the least. She paused before looked down, "does it get better?" She fiddled with her jacket. Erin slowly nodded, "of course it does honey, maybe not overnight but I sure as hell gets a lot easier. I'm here to help you gabby, you're my responsibility now" she smiled reassuringly.  Gabby wiped her tears away, she's still hiding a lot from Erin right now, but she'd rather keep those things a secret.  Erin nodded after a moment of comforting silence, "let's go back upstairs" she smiled and stood up.

~

"The kids practically living my old life hank, I can't let her walk away knowing she's in danger at home" Erin sighed as hank sat down at his desk, gabby was currently sat in the break room. It was around 10:20am and the sun was pretty much non existent. Hank nodded, "is her mom...?" He enquired. Erin nodded, "an addict yeah, and by the sounds of it her stepdad isn't much help either" she huffed. Hank frowned, "you got a plan?" He folded his arms. Erin rubbed her head, "I don't know, gabby really wants to stay with her mom so I don't know what to do" she drew her lips into a thin line.

                "What if I do what you did?" Erin rubbed the back of her neck.  Hank sat up a little more, "CI?" He nodded.  Erin smiled weakly, "yeah, it'll keep her out of jail and she gets to stay with her mom" she shrugged obviously.  Hank paused, "Erin, I really admire what you're trying to do here, I do. But look what you did to me, I got attached to you, and I couldn't let go. Once that happens kiddo, there's no going back. If you take her under your wing she's your responsibility, and you've gotta live with the constant fear of anything bad happening to her, could you handle that?" He folds his hands across his stomach.

"I could" Erin shrugged bluntly. Hank sighed, "er..." he tilted his head. Erin ran her hands through her hair, "I gotta do this hank, I have to. There's a small part of me attached to this kid already, she's safer under my wing than sitting in a jail cell" she shrugged. Hank paused, "if you're 100% sure about this, then go ahead. Just know it's a big task to take on..." he nodded proudly. Erin smiled sadly, "I know" she sighed weakly. Hank smiled back, "you know I'm always here if you need me" he nodded. She nodded thankfully before standing up, Hank followed suit, "my doors always open, for both of you" he enveloped her into a tight fatherly hug.

~

                   "You want me to be your CI?" Gabby scratched her eyebrow as Erin sat opposite her.  Erin nodded, "yeah, it's a good way to guarantee that you'll stay out of jail. As blunt as it may sound, you might need it kiddo. It's the only way I can let you walk away uncharged and you get to stay with your mom" she smiled weakly.  Gabby thought about it, "does my mom need to get involved?" She raised her eyebrows.  Erin shook her head, "not unless you want her to, this can just be between you and us" she smiled.  Gabby smiled back, "alright, I'm in" she rubbed her forehead. Erin nodded, "I'll get everything sorted" she stood up.

Just as Erin was about to push her chair back under the table, gabbys stomach grumbled angrily, "you hungry?" Erin chuckled. Gabby shook her head, "nah, not really" she laughed it off. Erin's smiled faded, "you haven't eaten since yesterday morning gabs, I'd feel better if you ate something before I take you home" she tilted her head. Gabby nodded, "okay..." she spoke quietly.  Erin nodded softly before leaving, god this kid is troubled, she just wants to help...

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