Love, Dad | Joe Cruz

Chapter 8 PT1: Suspension

Tatia stands at her locker pulling her lunch box out. School has only gotten worse for her since last week. It doesn't help that it is getting closer and closer to the holidays. Or that things at the firehouse have been weird ever since Severide got transferred to OFI. What did help was Cruz getting the extra money from the slamigan and him buying her a few new lego sets and some new clothes. She wore her new dress it looks like overalls. She was actually a little excited for school to show off the outfit. Her excitement quickly dwindled though when she got there. With Trisha and Lena make fun of it. She looks at her locker and the photo of her dad that sits hangs inside.

"Look at this Lena she's hanging out with her dad. Her only friend." Trish laughs. Tatia sighs shutting the locker and walking toward the cafeteria.

"Where are you going Tatia? Gonna go cry to those firefighters? They probably don't even care. Only let you stay there 'cause they feel bad." Lena says laughing.

"Yeah, no one likes you. I bet your dad didn't even like you." Trish says laughing.

"Don't talk about my dad." Tatia stops walking and turns around

"He's lucky to be dead and away from you."

"Shut up Trish! You don't know shit." Tatia yells.

"No what are you gonna do?" Trish shrugs. Tatia swings hitting her square in the nose. Lena runs off as Trish kicks Tatia but it barely misses Tati. "You're pathetic."

"And you're just jealous." Trish tackles her getting a few punches in before a teacher pulls her off of Tatia.

"Both of you Principle office now." The teacher says grabbing them by the shoulders. Tatiana looks at the floor she knows she's in big trouble. Her uncle is gonna be pissed. Joe's on shift she's pulling him away from his job for this. They get to the office and are put in chairs on opposite sides of the room. They're both given tissues and ice packs for their bruised faces and bleeding noses. "You two be good the principal will call you two inside in a few."

Tati sighs putting the ice pack on her eye. She looks down at her tattered shoes. She really regrets this not just because her head is killing her. She never gets in trouble. Okay, that is a lie her best friend is Annabelle Herrmann but this time it was all her. All her own doing and now she's in the principal's office. Awaiting her punishment and for her uncle to walk in.

---At The Firehouse---

"Tatia's really enjoying the slamigan selling out I just got her this big lego set she's been wanting for a while. She's also been acting off lately this really cheered her up." Joe says to mouch.

"She really is Otis's daughter huh? Legos and all those nerdy shows, and video games. His little mini-me." Mouch says looking over at the younger man. "How's she been doing? It's getting pretty close to the holidays."

"About as well as you can expect. It's been a week since her last nightmare. But every time she gets home from school she's upset I think something is happening there but she won't talk to me about it."

"She'll come around eventually." Mouch shrugs as Joe's phone rings.

"One second," Joe says standing up as he answers. "Hello?" He says walking into the briefing room.

"Hello is this Joseph Cruz?" The woman on the other side of the phone says

"Yes, who's this?"