24 Dreams Of You And Me

6) Trust Me, I Got This

"Confidence is good, but overconfidence always sinks the ship."
-Oscar Wilde

***

Los Angeles, California

"Again?" John exasperated.

Bella nodded.

"Dad!" Alyssa whined through the phone. "Come on, you're making it worse."

"Alyssa, when we have one of us working in the police, whose job is taking such matters that need real world alterations, especially in crime, why.. for the love of God, would you go and do it on your own? You were in the presence of a mentally ill stalker and murderer. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Bella spoke, trying to contain herself.

"I wasn't-"

"If you say you had Ruby, God help me, I will personally come there and scream at you. Having Ruby makes it worse. All you had to do was inform her father." Bella said angrily.

After a long while of silence, Alyssa said, "Well I don't know what else to say."

John closed his eyes. "Alyssa.."

"What?" Alyssa's voice echoed through the house.

John opened his mouth and closed it. "Even I don't know what else to say." He rushed and got up from the bed.

"So that means we're good?" Alyssa's voice was hopeful.

Bella eyed John as she said through the speaker, "No."

"Mom, get the phone off speaker and give it to dad."

"What I meant," John said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "was that I don't know how else to make you understand, Alyssa."

"I do understand. But I don't need it, dad. I'm old enough." Alyssa tried explaining. "As you know, this wasn't my first case. Certainly won't be my last-"

"Excuse me?" Bella asked.

"-but I know when I'm overstepping my limits and I promise, I'll never do that. If something is out of my reach, I'll call Jerry."

John and Bella shared a look.

"Your mother still seems skeptical." John said, looking at Bella.

"That's because she is." Alyssa laughed.

"And that's because we clearly have different definitions for limits. This Donna case, I'd consider it off limits for you." Bella stated.

"God, okay!" Alyssa sighed. "I'm terribly sorry for helping someone out-"

"That's not what I meant-"

"-I won't do it like that, mom. We just need to discuss and renegotiate my boundaries. We'll work it out, mom. You need to relax."

Bella glared at John who simply smiled and shrugged.

"Fine." Bella said. "I go first."

.....

Dallas, Texas

Two hours later

Alyssa was sitting still on the floor, in silence with her eyes closed. Deep in thought, deep in meditation, deep in nothingness.

The doorbell rang a few times to bring her out of the trance. She slowly opened her eyes and exhaled.

Her eyes adjusted to the light as she opened the door to reveal Ruby standing with a solemn expression.

"How'd it go?" Alyssa laughed.

"Ugh, super bad. If I was still a teenager, I'd be grounded for.. maybe ever." Ruby said and made her way inside.