One Jump Ahead [Open]

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        "Stop thief! Stop in the name of the law!" This was a daily routine during the daylight hours in Gotham City. People getting out of the way as a little girl around twelve wearing full winter outerwear that looked dirty and tattered as cops chase after her through the streets and sidewalks. The crunching of snow beneath the child's feet and of the feet behind her. Now Roxanne can run fast, faster then the fat pigs that's trying to catch her. And why they're trying to catch her? She was caught with her hand in the pocket of a tourist at the wrong time. Though never actually caught by anyone, it is a pain for Roxanne to waste her time and energy running even when short-lived.

Just hope the vigilantes weren't out, they barely are during the day but being chased by them is a complete torture. Still a nice thing that she knows how to escape them though the shadows of the city.

Ducking under a glass panel that was being carried by two working-men, Roxanne grinned victoriously as she heard a devastating crash, probably the two boys-n-blue running into the panel. Quickly turning a corner, Roxanne leaned on the brick to rest and catch her breath. She probably ran about eleven blocks, escaping from the cops takes the breath out of you, especially in the cold of the winter seasons. Now that she regained her strength back, Roxanne decided to visit the Gotham coast. It wasn't far from her location. The coast was probably frozen from winter but the rest of the ocean would still be blue.

Positioning her hat that was more of a like a cap but looked more old, Roxanne took the back alley-ways to avoid the crowds of the middle class, and a precaution if the cops are still looking for her. Now even the Southern side of Gotham still has its crime going on, it's evident by the stuff Roxanne passed by, mostly low-rate burglaries though. And the occasional illegal drug sells. "Hey Rox! Wanna buy some snow?" "No thank ya Nucks! Ya know I ain't into tat!" She responds as she runs by one of the local drug dealers. Looking at the horizon of the coast-line before her as she got closer, the smell of the ocean was hitting her senses.

[Deleted]

Harvey had been out cruising from a crime scene back to head quarters when he heard something over his dispatch radio. A girl had managed to slip through police fingers. A pickpocketing kid, blonde girl. She was described as being dressed in poorly maintained winter wear.

Hmm.

Harvey started to pick up the radio to say he would keep an eye out but he put the receiver back down, slowly.  He was in the right area, he might spot her.  The description sounded a little familiar.  There might just be more to it than simply stealing from others on the street.

Harvey drove around south Gotham a little slower than he had to.  As he was passing by the docks he barely caught something out of the corner of his vision.

Hmm.

He was driving his own vehicle, not a squad car.  He pulled his car up at a parking spot, his badge was not visible on his person.  He made sure to remove his watch and anything else on him that might be valuable.  He approached the docks as if he had business to conduct and planned it so he looked like he was going to pass by the kid.  As he was about to pass her he turned to her hard and slapped a cuff on her wrist.  The other was on his own wrist.  Simple, but effective.  He didn't like to run.

"Ain't gettin' loose this time, short stuff."

Harvey moved his coat aside so she could see his badge on his hip.

"What's your name kid?  And why you stealin'?"

[Deleted]

    Standing on her own two feet facing the large mass of water, Roxanne took a inhale of the freeing scent and exhaled. Oh how she loved Gotham Harbor. The smell of the ocean, the wind on her face, it was just exhilarating. It would be better if the birds were out feeding on the shores. The geese were of course there flocking around in their groups but she rather see the birds who flew south for the winter come back north. At least Roxanne still has Fredrick. At the mention of the little blackbird, Roxanne remembered that he was on her person. Her head more specifically. Reaching a hand up, she stroked a finger on Fredrick who was nested in her hair. The blackbird, who was napping away before Roxanne interrupted, gave the girl an annoyed nip on her finger. "Owwie! Okay okay gee! Don' get all nippy on me." Roxanne exclaimed as she brought her finger back down from her head.

Not noticing a car driving slowly near, Roxanne still stared at the horizon of the harbor. The little street rat always wondered what was beyond the vast openness of the Gotham waters. A world she wants to explore and rather everyone else ships out of the city Roxie's still here in Gotham, stuck on the shore. Stuck in this rummy crumb-down corrupted piece of hell for her entire life. Roxanne heard about the other cities, lands, and towns outside of Gotham. They all sound wonderful to her.

Distracted in her thoughts, she wasn't observant of the footsteps approaching her until it was too late. A feel of metal and a snapping sound busted her out of her thoughts and immediately turning around, eyes going wide, she saw that a man handcuffed her to him. Looking at his appearance, he seemed to scream cop, and her assumptions were correct when he showed Roxanne his badge that was attached to his hip. A quick observation of the badge showed that he was a lieutenant, however, Roxanne saw him before in the older newspapers. If memory serves her correct, the cop might have been a detective for the GCPD. A good one too and the more loyal pigs to the city.

"Why you stealin'?" What a stupid thing to ask! If the pig hasn't  noticed, Roxanne isn't exactly dressed for a ball. Putting on her tough girl act, she glared menacing at the cop and said with such hateful sprite, the thick accent she picked up from the East End sounding off. "What's it to ya, ya no good balooka??" Giving the cuffs a pull to test its strength, she notices that they were standard issue police handcuffs. Roxanne remembers a skill she was taught on how to get out of them if she ever was caught by the GCPD a few years back. That was perfect. Giving a few whistles, Fredrick popped out of Roxie's hair, when the bird saw that his human-friend was in trouble Fredrick constantly begin to chirp angrily distracting the cop.

With the distraction of her bird-friend Roxanne used her nimble fingers and effective quickness to get out of the handcuffs in a flash. Not only did she get out of the cuffs, Roxanne practically cuffed the high GCPD swine on both of his wrist and just to do something humiliating to the man, Roxie rolled his belt out of his pants loops with the man's pants dropping. To the cop, it would have been as fast as a magic act, one minute he was the boss, the next he was handcuffed by both wrists with his pants around his ankles. Turning around with a smug smirk and hands on hips, the pickpocketing street-raised girl said in the smugness of tones, "Ya should have just kept driving by Piggy. There's a reason why I'm called the best pickpocketing gal in Gotham City." Before she went on her way, she gave a warning to the cop. "Oh an' by the way, ya better get going before ya get wacked. It ain't good for a pig like you to be out here, even if the crime rates lower where I come from." If anyone pays attention to Roxanne, she was saying terms that members of the mafia use.

Now that she barely escaped from getting sent to a children's home, Roxanne ran from the officer straight toward Mafia territory. It was a precaution just in case the pig got out of his own cuffs before how long Roxanne predicted. No matter what section of Gotham you are in, the mafia will always be there.

[Deleted]

Harvey was not happy. He was actually going to try to help the kid instead of booking her. If Harvey wanted to incarcerate children then he would have become a school principal or something. He looked even more angered at his pants falling down. He made quick work to get the cuff key he kept on a gold chain around his neck under his shirt. He undid the cuffs and pulled his pants up. He thought chasing after err the kid might scare her off. He just stood there for a moment considering what to do.

He was not afraid of mafia territory. What idiot would shoot a cop on his own turf? Besides, Harvey was known too well by some of these goons. Some of them still owed him some favors from back in the days when he was still a bit of a dirty cop. Harvey took some steps toward her and threw his hands up in a bit of a frustrated nature.

"Look, kid, I shouldn't have come at you like that, but just to be fair, you're fast and can fit into small places. I don't know why you would want to be in Falcone territory. Be my guest, go get mixed up with those guys. At least when I am solving your murder case I'll have a good theory on who was the killer."

Harvey waved to her and walked back to his car. He pulled his keys out of his hat and headed back to his car. He opened the trunk and got another belt he had in it out. He looked at her a bit begrudgingly when he clasped it again. He shut the trunk and got in the car. Once he got in he grabbed a slice of pizza out of the fresh pie he was planning to be his lunch.

He looked over at the kid again and rolled down his window.

"You eaten today?"

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    Roxanne froze on the spot when instead of chasing after her as if she predicted, the cop just spoke to her. The girl turned around and stared confuse at the cop. Her eyes narrowed in anger as he stated about finding her dead body. She knows she'll die, just not by a Falcone member, maybe not even murdered by anyone. Fully in view of the man, Roxanne glared as he just waved and went on his back to his car. It wasn't a squad car but a normal one, she wouldn't be surprised if there was police radio inside.

Giving an irritated huff, Roxanne went back on her way where she was running to. Maybe one of the members have a delivery for her to run. Before she could have even taken at least a few steps, she heard the cop's voice again. "You eaten today?" Hm, that reminded Roxanne the only thing she ate today was some bread she stole from a food stand. The dirty blonde was a little underweight from lack of food and if she doesn't eat a lot more food Roxanne will loose even more pounds.

Roxanne didn't think it was wise to go with this cop even if it means free food. But still, the cop didn't chase after her and even admitted that it was not right to handcuff her. The cop even said a compliment to her in a way on her skills. With all of her street training being thrown away, Roxanne walked to the officer's car and looked through the window at him. "Uhm, no." She isn't trusting this cop, but he was giving away free food. However, if he does try any funny business, then he'll end up with his throat slash.

[Deleted]

Harvey offered her a gruff smirk.

"Passenger door is unlocked, c'mon."

Harvey moved the pizza box to the dash. He pulled a slice t for her with a napkin from his console.

"Don't worry, I have no intent to try to take you downtown for any booking. I just figure a kid pickpicketing is probably having a hard time."

Harvey sat back to eat his pizza in silence for a minute or two. He rolled his window back up to block the cold wind. After he got to the end of his own slice he wiped his mouth with the napkin and reached to a soda in a cup holder. He offered it to her.

"Get some sugar in you. You're skinny as it is."

Harvey pulled a bottle of water from the backseat. He had one of those little cases full of 20 or so bottles. He uncapped it and took a drink.

"That coat warm enough?"

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   In hesitance, Roxanne stood in front thinking if she should go into the car exactly. Roxie, though, walked around the vehicle and got in, examining the interior. It looked kind of dirty, the dark leather ripped and trash everywhere. Spotting what she suspected earlier was the police radio. Maybe that was how the cop found her.

Grabbing the slice of pizza that was offered to her, Roxanne looked at the food. Shrugging her shoulders, she bit into the piece. Deciding it was pretty darn good, Roxanne begin wolfing the slice down. The blackbird in on her head also decided to have some eats by hopping off and nipping at some pizza in another box.

Roxanne took the soda cup and chugged the bubbly liquid down. This was the first time she ever ate food that was given to her by someone other that wasn't doing something illegal or by someone who also lived on the streets.

"It does its job." Roxanne responded to the cop's question about her coat.

[Deleted]

Harvey nodded and peeked over at the kid scarfing the pizza down. He chuckled a bit slow and low.

"Best pie in Gotham, kiddo. Help yourself, have as much as you like."

Harvey grabbed another slice for himself and set the crust of the first one down near the bird. He began eating his second slice and then paused to take a drink of his water.

"That so? Well it looks like its about to fall apart. Why don't you meet me back here tomorrow? I'll bring you something a little more appropriate. That one may be doing the job now, but come February this whole city is going to be covered in nothing but ice and snow. I'd give you mine, but I think it'd be a little big on you."

Harvey continued eating his pizza and eventually looked over at the bird pecking away at some of the pizza.

"What's your friend's name? He seems to care about you. He was squawkin' bloody murder at me earlier."

[Deleted]

    Attitude perking up at the cop's generosity of having as much of the pizza as she feels like it, Roxanne grabbed for another slice with throwing the first crust back in the car. The street-rat was becoming pretty comfortable near the officer since earlier, unlike all the other pigs she had to deal with, this one was actually being nice and not wanting to bag her. Glancing up at the cop through long snow and dirt-covered eyelashes as the cop spoke with the pizza still in her mouth, Roxanne tilted her head and swallowed. Coming back to the same area tomorrow for a new winter coat...Looking down to inspect the coat she is wearing right now, it was leathered outside with fur-lining inside. Roxanne had it for a few years now and the coat met a lot of action over that time period. Guess it was time for a change.

Maybe she can appear back tomorrow for a trade, if there isn't any important deliveries that day. The Boss was keeping Roxanne busy with all the given work the pass few months. Apparently, the Falcone's been getting desperate for quite a while. They've been loosing influence and money over time and the Boss been trying to appeal the city delegates for votes. Roxanne wouldn't be surprised by that, those screw-offs were as corrupted as the GCPD pigs. Just wave a wad of money in front of them and they'll turn into drooling dogs. Roxanne though, knows something is about to go down in Gotham City. The feelings been shaking in the slums of the Eat Ends. Both the mafias and the gangs been getting really angsty and even the homeless felt something. Even Harold's crazy old medium grandmother that lives in the Homeless section been freaking out. Saying things in her old mind like how the return of the son of the city is going to ruin the mafia families, or how the family of Rome will decline within thirteen seasons.

Being brought back to the present as the cop spoke up once again, Roxanne took another sip from the soda before replying. "His name's Fredrick. He's a Brewer's Blackbird, an' he was distractin' ya." Roxanne reached over to the bird and stroked behind his head, her finger rubbing on the soft feathers. "I found him when he had a broken wing two years ago. Was migrating north. I took him in an' healed him, and instead of flying off, he begin sticking to me like the fleas I carry." Reminded of the little buggers, Roxanne scratched her unkempt hair as the itches returned. Noticing his friend's distress again, Fredrick ignored the pizza and flew over to land on her head and begin pecking at the insects. "Of course, since I have Ol' Fredrick he takes the pests off me."

[Deleted]

Harvey looked at the kid a bit unsure of her hygiene. Harvey was scruffy, but he usually showered in the morning and at night when he got home.

"How long's it been since you had a shower, kid?"

Harvey snorted at the bird. Those two played off each other well, he had to give them that. At least the kid had someone in her life for a friend, even if it was a little bird. Harvey just shook his head a little and took another drink of water. He'd have to spray later.

"Look, why don't I just take you right now to get some proper clothes and a shower? You may think you're doin' your little buddy there a favor, but you need a shower. I promise I ain't tryin' to trick you into going downtown. I figure your homeless and you're not real interested in dealin' with foster parents an' all that, I understand. At least let me help you out a little, like I said, winter is coming."

Harvey sighed under his breath. He'd just started watching Game of Thrones and he realized he just sounded like Ned Stark. He shook that off and looked at her, awaiting an answer. He was holding his key waiting for her word.

"What's you're name?"

[Deleted]

    Roxanne flinched a little at the pinches of Fredrick pulling the fleas off her scalp and out of the jungle of her hair, she was used to it, the flinches was just instinctual. To the man's question, the dirty blonde just took another sip of the soda given earlier and gave him a look. Roxanne haven't been bathe for quite a while, usually her hygiene was taken of by Louisa ever since she was younger. Either that or Roxie just lets the rainy days take care of that. So to the cop's question she just shrugs. "I don' know. I think two months ago?" That was the best she could come up with.

Now she knows never go with strangers, but this rule was blown off right after Roxanne got into his car. So why not just go along with it? The man was being both generous and not batting a snobby eye that Roxie was not a high-class baby. Best to take his offer now. However, the whole homeless accusation was not true. Roxanne didn't had a permanent housing per say, except for her roof-top adult-venue paradise and the safe-houses that were owned by Mr. Falcone and the other family members. By her appearance, she does appear as no home but she's more of the lines as a Mafia delivery street-girl that isn't allowed to be apart of the family technically.

"Okay, I'll go with ya. By the way, I lived for six winters in this city an' I'm still alive ain't I? Never judge a book by its cover." Roxanne said as she lifted her winter hat off her head and gave a pizza crumb to Fredrick. "Roxanne, my name's Roxanne."

[Deleted]

"Learn to read a book first and then I'll listen to that argument short stuff."

Harvey started the engine and backed out of the spot. Soon they were on the road heading to toward central Gotham.

"I'm Detective Bullock, but you can call me Harvey if you'd like."


Eventually they pulled up to a decent looking apartment building. Harvey parked and killed the engine.

"Home, sweet home, c'mon kid."

He made sure he had what he needed before getting out of the car. He led her in the main lobby which no one was in at the moment. He took a moment to check the mail before they headed up some stairs. There was an elevator, but Harvey was taking stairs as much as possible when it wasn't unreasonable. They only had a floors to go up.

Once they got there he walked down a hallway to an apartment at the end of the hallway. He unlocked the door to apartment number 42 and once he walked in he set his keys on the table right next to the door just inside the apartment.

For his pay, Harvey did well. He'd had this apartment for as long as he could remember. At least fiteen, maybe twenty years. He'd put quite a bit of money and time into it over the years, but it was his happy place. He led her through the living room and to his bedroom. He started going through his drawers.

He found at least one shirt from back in the day. It was a Ramones t-shirt. He also found a pair of pajama pants that were small enough to fit her, also from his younger days. He walked back out and got a towel out of a closet in the hallway. He walked in the bathroom and began to run some bath water for her. He had a TV in the wall opposite the tub. He turned it on. He made sure he had shampoo, a bottle of conditioner, and a bar of soap out with her. he put a hand towel on the edge of the bathtub.

"You're all set up, kiddo. When you're done put these clothes on. We're throwin' this stuff you got on now out. While you hang out here I'm gonna run off for a bit and find you some real duds, capiche?"

Harvey was surprisingly adept at understanding juniors sizes. he had three little sisters he had to help his mother take care of. He remembers getting up extra early in the mornings when he was a teenager and having to make sure his sisters got up, ate breakfast, got dressed and he often ended up brushing and fixing their hair. Each of them grew up to be nearly as mean as he was, so at least something good came of his work.

"If you get finished before I get back help yourself to anything in the fridge. If you want to watch TV just turn it on and use the remote to change channels or whatever."

Harvey walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him. It was a nice little bathroom. The walls were gray with blue tile. It was a little lived in, things like his shaving razor and aftershave were around the sink.

"I'll be back in about an hour," he called to her from the other side of the door.

[Deleted]

    Insulted, Roxanne mockingly stuck her tongue out at the cop, arms crossed. The engine was turned on and they were off heading towards the central section of Gotham. Glancing out of the passenger window, Roxanne observed the large skyscrapers with glass and brick. Even watching people of both middle and high class walking busy from one building to another. And of course the busy center of City Hall. Hearing that the cop finally gave his name, Roxanne looked at him. "Detective Bullock eh? I knew I recognized ya somewhere. I saw ya in the old newspapers. You were a pretty good cop by what they all said. Ain't ya a lieutenant now?"

Glancing to the front window, Roxanne saw that they were approaching an apartment complex, she suspects middle-class but not too expensive. Getting out of car, Roxanne accidently slipped on a sheet of ice, about to fall until Harvey caught her by the arm. She gave a quick thanks and followed behind the man into the establishment. The lobby looked cleaned enough with a main desk and postal cupboards where Harvey was checking. When he was done a minute later, Roxie followed him up a few flight of stairs, she suspected that there was an elevator but it better to use the stairs and the fact that the man's room was probably only a few stories up.

While the two were going to the room, Roxanne was getting dirty looks by the people she passed, which she was used to. Roxanne was distracted by looking at the decoration of the hallways not looking when Harvey stopped. Accidently walking into the man's back she gave a quick apology. Room 42, they were probably on the fourth story.

Walking into the apartment, Roxie glanced around the area. It was decent and quite quaint. Just a modest room with a bookcase and white wall-painting. Following him into what she suspected was the bedroom just by the bed, Roxanne stood still curiously watching as Harvey took out some clothes and a towel for her. Seeing that he was going into another room, Roxanne trailed behind, entering the bathroom, she observed around the room. The bathroom had gray walls with blue tile and a television on the opposite from the bath tub. Harvey turned on the television and ran the bath water with also getting out other toiletries.

Roxanne looked up and nodded, waving Fredrick off of her shoulder in which he flew to perch on a towel bar. Glancing at the bath-tub, Roxie felt awkward since she didn't really know how to bathe herself. Louisa usually was the one who bathed her when she visited the woman so she never really learned that skill. Turning around, she opened the door before Harvey could get going and stood in the middle of doorway feeling a little embarrassed. "I uhm, I don' know how to bathe." She said as she rubbed her arm.

[Deleted]

Harvey was about to head out when she said that. He sat on the toilet lid looking very uncomfortable.

"You can read a paper but you can't bathe?" 

Harvey was not ready for that.  He rubbed his temples for a moment trying to figure out how the hell he was going to deal with this.  Yeah, sure, he bathed his sisters when they were little, but they were his little sisters.  He lifted up his head when he thought about Montoya.  He whipped his phone out and walked out of the bathroom, he looked back to Roxanne.

"Hang tight."

Once the phone started ringing he was praying Montoya would answer.

"What's up Bullock?"

"Montoya.  I need your help, this is kind of urgent."

"What's wrong, Harv?"

"Its a long story.  Can you just come over, like now?"

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I just need you to come over here."

"Alright, Bullock.  Give me twenty minutes, ok?"

"That's perfect.  I'm gonna owe you one."

Harvey hung up the phone and sighed a sigh of relief.  He turned back to Roxanne.

"Alright, I got someone on the way that can help you with that.  I would, but I don't think that would make neither you or I very comfortable."

Harvey swithed the water up hotter so by the time Montoya would arrive the water would be hot, but not too hot.  In the mean time he sat there in the bathroom, back on the toilet lid.

"Why don't you know how to bathe yourself?  You know, for a kid as street wise as you are I am worried that you're falling behind on the essentials.  Do you even go to school?"

This was becoming more and more complicated, but Harvey had no regrets.  The kid needed some help whether she wanted it or not.  Harvey leaned back on the seat, watching the water for a little while,

Eventually twenty minutes passed a knock came at the door.  By the time Harvey got out to the living room Montoya was already stepping inside.

"Hey, the door was unlocked, I just let myself in.  What's going on?"

Harvey finally took his hat off and tossed it on the couch.  He stuck a thumb up to point to the girl.

"This."

Montoya tilted her head inquisitively when she looked over at the kid.  She looked back at Harvey.

"Who's that?"

"Roxanne, this is Renee Montoya, Renee meet Roxanne.  I need you to help with something."

Montoya folded her arms and looked at Harvey to explain what the hell was up and why there was a kid in his apartment.

"Look, I found her today on the docks.  She's a kid having a rough time.  She's filthy, and as you can see, poorly dressed.  I brought her here so she could get a shower and I was going to go get her some clothes.  I was about to leave and she told me she didn't know how to bathe..."

Montoya finally nodded her head slowly like 'ah, now I understand' type of way. She sighed, relieved.

"Say no more.  I'll take care of it."

Harvey put his hand on her shoulder as she began to walk toward the girl.

"While you do that, I am going to go grab her some clothes."

Montoya nodded to him and patted him on the back as he walked out.  Once the door was shut she continued walking toward the kid.

"Hi there.  Nice to meet you.  Alright, enough with the pleasantries, Roxanne, let's get you cleaned up, alright?"

Montoya opened the bathroom door again and checked the temperature of the water.  She went to get a chair so she could put it next to the tub.  She removed her jacket and tossed it on Harvey's couch.  She rolled her sleeves up and headed back into the bathroom.

"Alright, chica, strip down and hop in that bath.  Don't worry, you don't have anything I don't have already and that I hadn't already seen."

Once the girl was down in the water she added some soap to the remaining water that was still running to create some bubbles.  She got some shampoo poured up in her hands.

"Alright, go ahead and dunk your head down and get your hair wet.

Meanwhile...

Harvey made it to a girls clothing store and began browsing when a woman that worked there approached.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"As a matter of fact you can.  I need about five pairs of jeans, at least five shirts, maybe a hoodie or two, a good coat, and underwear."

The woman smiled a bit.

"Oh, how old is your daughter?"

"Oh I don't have any kids."

The woman gave Harvey an odd look.

"I'm just sprucing up my niece's wardrobe."

The woman returned the smile to her face.

"Oh, well, how sweet of you!  Let me see what we can do for you, then."

Harvey had been smart to call Renee after he left and before he got to the store to ask her the size on the girl's tags and what not, so he knew he was getting the right things.  The woman who worked at the store was showing him different options within each thing he asked for.  He got the girl darker clothes and he made sure to get her stuff that wasn't too flashy or pretty because a street kid like her might get it all stolen if it was too nice.  Or worse, she could get noticed by the wrong people.  Right at the end they were finally picked her a coat.  The woman showed her all these cute little coats, but he noticed one in the back.  It was a little black trench coat with thick fur lining.  On a rack near it were a few hats, one was a fedora with a bigger brim, a brim more appropriate for women.  He smirked to himself when he grabbed the coat and the hat.  He paid up and eventually carried the two shopping bags full of clothes out to his car.  He got in and headed home.  He also got her a back pack.

Finally he got back and walked in. 

"I'm back!" he shouted across his apartment about an hour after he originally left.  He wanted to let them know he was there so they could get a chance to get her decent in case they were just finishing up.

[Deleted]

    Roxanne gave an irritated huff, placing her hands on her hips in a matter. "I never said I can read, or write even. I just saw ya pictures n' the papers and heard of ya through the grapevine!" Seriously though, she never said read him in the papers. The street-girl can see that the man was uncomfortable, and in distress. Harvey look liked he was thinking of a solution but really, Roxanne doesn't see a big deal. She is just a kid. Louisa bathed her and she wasn't that uncomfortable! Maybe that's it. Women are more comfortable with bathing girls who are younger than them. Roxanne saw that Harvey got up and had his phone out, he was calling someone. The girl heard the conversation, at least, at Harvey's end. It sounded like someone was coming over to help out.

The man should have guessed that Roxie wasn't good with new people, she was now anxious as heck. Watching Harvey mess with the water, Roxanne leaned against the doorway trying to act cool. "Me mam always bathed me when I visited. She's a little over-motherly." Her mam being Louisa Falcone but she isn't telling no cop that she knows the Falcones. Roxanne tilted her head at the words "essentials" and "school." "I don't go to school an' the only things I ever need is what I learned on the streets." Wow, this guy needs to learn a few things about the street-kids these days. Half the kids she knows doesn't go to no school.

As the minutes passed, Roxanne just watched the television. It was nothing interesting. Just stock exchanges and the usual talk-show host. Twenty-minutes passed and she heard the door open, watching as the cop walked out the room to greet the person. Following the man, she saw a woman in the living room. The woman was tall and had light-tan skin with dark black hair and brown eyes. She had a tough looking demeanor. Standing there staring at the woman, Harvey was speaking to her about Roxanne. At the introductions Roxanne did a nod of greeting at the woman.

Roxanne almost shouted at the insult of being called filthy, but kept her mouth shut. Getting off the doorway, the girl saw that Harvey was leaving her alone with Renee, which made her a little nervous. It took Roxanne amount of time to get comfortable around one cop today but another? That just crosses boundaries. Roxanne's body became tensed when the other cop approached her, her stance becoming defensive. Guess the woman saw the change in Roxanne as she lowered herself to Roxanne's height. "Hey now. Take it easy chica. I won't hurt you." The hazel-eyed child narrowed her eyes at the woman, trying to decide whether to trust her or not. "Come on Roxanne, if Harv trusts me you can too." The woman was right....Guess Roxanne does have to trust her.

Following Renee back into the bathroom, Roxanne stood in place watching her check the bath water. Meanwhile over at the towel bar, Fredrick's beady eyes followed the female cop in the bathroom with his human-friend. To make sure that the older human realizes that someone else was looking after Roxanne, Fredrick puffed his chest out, spread his wings wide and started squawking at the woman. Renee turned to looked in question at the blackbird and then back to Roxanne. "Is that your bird?" The street-girl nodded and responded. "He's just protectin' me n' case ya do somethin' I don' like." Renee nodded and told Roxanne to strip and get in the bath.

After a few minutes later, Roxie was in the tub and playing around with all the bubbles that was swarming. The child cupped a bunch of foamy bubbles and blew in them, watching in awe as air sockets lifted upward into the air. "Alright, go ahead and dunk your head down and get your hair wet."

In a time period about thirteen minutes of hard scrubbing and consistent washing, Roxanne was out of the tub wrapped in towels. "Well now, don't you look clean chica. Now let's get you dried off." Renee said as she led Roxanne to the bedroom for her to be dried with the towels. After a while and once Roxie was dried enough, Renee grabbed the t-shirt Harvey left out for the kid but before she could place the article of clothing over Roxanne's head, said girl took the clothing. "I can dress myself thank ya very much." Roxie dressed herself in the clothing that was given and sat down on the bed as Renee took a brush and started brushing her hair.

During her hair brushing, both females heard the voice of Harvey yelling that he was back from shopping in which Renee responded. "We're in the bedroom Bullock! Just brushing Roxanne's hair!"