'I can explain.' Ryan states.
'You better.' Travis raises an eyebrow.
'Let's go somewhere more private.' Ryan suggests. Travis nods and they both walk into an empty room. Ryan closes the door and turns to face Travis.
'So. Why does my sister have your card?' Travis folds his arms.
'Before you say anything, I didn't know she's your sister.' Ryan starts. 'Second of all, she was walking through the park yesterday. I was on patrol. She bumped into me by accident and I could see that she was upset. When I asked if she was okay, she told me that she was fine and that she had just had a rough week but I wasn't convinced, so I gave her my card and told her to call me if she ever needed to talk or if she was ever in trouble.' He explains. Travis drops his arms. 'If I had a teenage sister and found a cop's business card in her phone case or purse or whatever, I'd be concerned too.' Travis rubs his forehead.
'Sorry, man.' Travis apologises.
'It's okay.' Ryan nods. 'Is it normal for her to run as excessively as she did today?'
'Only when she needs to distract herself from something.' Travis replies. 'I'll speak to her.' They both walk out of the room and to the nurse's station where Owen and DeLuca are stood talking. 'Is she going to be okay?' He asks the two doctors.
'You said that Brooklyn is in the foster system, right?' Owen questions.
'Yeah.' Travis nods. 'Why?'
'When the nurse was helping Brooklyn into her gown she saw some bruises on her side and chest.' DeLuca informs him. 'She's won't tell us what happened but we think that her foster parents are abusing her.'
'Let me talk to her.' Travis says. 'She might open up if it's a conversation between just me and her.' DeLuca and Owen look at each other and then back at Travis and Ryan.
'Sure.' Owen nods at Travis. 'Officer Tanner, we're still having trouble contacting Brooklyn's foster parents.'
'I'll pull in some extra resources and track them down.' Ryan says before walking away. Owen and DeLuca turn their attention back to Travis.
'You can go and speak to Brooklyn now.' Owen states.
'Thanks.' Travis smiles and nods before waking to the room where Travis is. He knocks on the side of the door and walks in. 'Hey.' He smiles.
'Hey.' Brooklyn smiles back. Travis sits in the chair beside the bed. 'Where's Karen and Mason?'
'We can't get a hold of them.' Travis shakes his head. 'So we're going to have a little chat until they get here.'
'The nurse told you about the bruises, didn't she?' Brooklyn looks down.
'Yeah.' Travis nods. 'What happened?' Brooklyn remains silent. 'You can tell me anything, Bryn. You know that.'
'It wasn't Karen and Mason if that's what you're thinking.' Brooklyn looks back up.
'What happened then?'
'I don't want to talk about it.' Brooklyn says quietly.
'Bryn-' Travis starts.
'Please.' Brooklyn cuts him off.
'Fine.' Travis sighs and nods. He reaches into his pocket and takes Brooklyn's phone out. 'This was left in the aid car.' He hands her the phone. Immediately, she takes her phone case off to look for Ryan's card. 'Here.' He hands her the card. 'Ryan already explained why you have it.'
'You know him?' Brooklyn asks.
'He's a friend.' Travis replies, nodding. 'I'm going to repeat what he told you. Call him if you ever want to talk or if you find yourself in trouble. He'll help you. Especially now that he knows you're my sister.' He says. 'And if he doesn't help you, he'll have me to deal with.' He adds causing Brooklyn to laugh. 'What's so funny?'
'You.' Brooklyn laughs.
'Why?!' Travis acts offended.
' "he'll have me to deal with".' She quotes him.
'So you find me being protective funny?' Travis raises an eyebrow.
'Over-protective.' Brooklyn corrects him.
'But you get why I'm so over-protective of you, right?' He questions.
'Yeah.' Brooklyn sighs. 'Anyways, when can I get out of here?'
'You won't be discharged until at least tomorrow.' Travis tells her. 'Since you ran 30 miles in such a short space of time, without eating or drinking, your body needs lots of fluid and lots of nutrients and time to recover.' He looks at her sternly. 'You won't be doing that again, will you?'
'I can't make any promises.' Brooklyn smirks.
'Bryn.' Travis raises an eyebrow maintaining his stern expression.
'I'm only joking.' Brooklyn laughs. 'I just forgot to eat, that's all.'
'Brooklyn, if you tell me what's going on, I can help you.' Travis tells his younger sister. 'I don't want this happening again.'
'And it won't.' Brooklyn responds. 'I promise.' She rests her arm on her chest and winces in pain.
'You okay?' Travis asks, concerned.
'Hm-hm.' Brooklyn nods. Owen and DeLuca walk in.
'Hi, Brooklyn.' DeLuca grins. 'How are you feeling?'
'Better.' Brooklyn smiles. 'And I prefer Bryn.'
'She's got some pains in her chest.' Travis points out.
'No I don't.' Brooklyn shakes her head quickly. Owen and DeLuca stand on either side of the bed. Owen takes his stethoscope from around his neck and puts the buds in his ears.
'I'm just going to listen to your chest, is that okay?' Owen asks, going to place the chest piece on Brooklyn's chest.
'No!' Brooklyn exclaims. 'Go help someone who really needs it.'
'You need help too, Bryn.' DeLuca states.
'You've treated me for what I came in for so just go and help someone else.' Brooklyn says.
'Bryn, let them check you over.' Travis tries to convince Brooklyn to accept the treatment.
'Can you all just leave, please?' Brooklyn queries. 'I want some time alone.'
'Of course.' DeLuca nods. Owen puts his stethoscope back around his neck and walks to the door with DeLuca.
'Montgomery, you're going to have to come with us.' Owen states.
'Think about it.' Travis tells Brooklyn before standing up and walking out of the room with Owen and DeLuca. They walk back to the nurse's station. 'She didn't want to talk about the bruises. All she said is that it wasn't her foster parents.'
'Do you believe her?' DeLuca queries.
'I do.' Travis nods. 'She tends to play with her hair when she's lying. She didn't touch her hair at each.' Ryan rejoins them.
'He foster parents are on their way. They were at a conference about two hours away.' Ryan informs them. 'How's she doing?' Before anyone can respond, they hear alarms coming from Brooklyn's room.
~~
Thank y'all for ready this story and being patient with it! Also, ignore any mistakes for the time being as I typed this entire thing on my phone at it's 11:30pm!
What did you think? Let me know!
Much love