Exculpatory

Chapter one

"I know you want it but we can't afford it," she said with a stern voice, looking down at her daughter.

Kate Beckett had gotten pregnant in her 16th year of life, bringing her daughter into life right before she turned 17. It had been a mistake, of course she hadn't planned on giving birth to a baby before she was even an adult herself, but she loved her precious baby more than anything. She wanted to give her daughter everything, sad part was that since she was a single mother she didn't have that kind of money. Of course she hadn't had to do it all on her own, her parents had been more than generous to help her out whenever she needed to. She didn't want their help, hated feeling like she needed other's help, but it had been essential in the beginning considering she was still determined to finish school. Now, when she was a homicide detective, she did get by with her own salary, but it took forever to save enough money to buy her daughter the things she wanted.

"But mom, just imagine how great it will look next to my bed, glowing in the dark!" Elisabeth pleaded with her puppy eyes looking up at her mom.

Kate had to look away in order to take a deep breath, knowing she would start crying if she didn't compose herself before once again saying no to her own flesh and blood. When her breath was out she looked at her beautiful daughter, who looked just like her with her brown hair and hazel green eyes, cupped her cheeks and said with an apologizing tone,

"We can't afford it hon, I'm sorry, maybe sometime in the future."

Her nine year old looked beat, understanding there was no point in further begging, and Kate was heartbroken that she so often had to say no.

"Come on, peanut, time to go home," Kate said, taking her daughters hand and pushed their cart with food with her other hand.

Kate knew her daughter would soon start pulling her hand away, remembering how she herself started thinking it was awkward holding hands with her mother when she was about her age. That was why she nowadays took every opportunity she could get, holding hands with her baby was much more comforting knowing what she knew as a cop. There was no way she would let anyone take her baby from her, she was determined to keep a close track on her, no matter where they were.

When they were on their way to the bus stop, both one bag each, Kate felt a presence behind her and her cop senses immediately sprung on. When a hand met her shoulder, she dropped her bag and her daughter's hand in order to take the hand and twist it while she spun around and held the stranger in a tight, half-threatening grip.

"Ow ow ow! Apples! Apples! Apples!" the man shrieked in a high pitched voice.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Kate immediately questioned, and she felt Elisabeth tugging her shirt.

"Mom! Let him go, come on!" she groaned, clearly embarrassed by her mother's quick reflexes.

But Kate didn't let go, and she didn't plan on it either until she'd gotten an answer.

"I-I just... wanted to... ow!" the man grunted.

"Mooom," Elisabeth said, irritated because she knew they were getting attention from the people at the bus stop.

"Fine, I'll let you go but if you make one wrong move I will put you out," Kate threatened and after the man nodded his head she let go of his twisted arm.

When he turned around he rubbed his arm gently in order to try and stop the pain from her grip, and Kate couldn't help but wonder if she didn't know this man. He looked so familiar yet she couldn't put her finger on where from. He had brown hair and blue eyes which she could swear she'd drown in if it hadn't been for her cop senses being on high alert. She took a step back to put distance between them, standing beside her dropped bag and making sure her daughter was behind her in case of attack. To her surprise, her daughter even took the extra step herself to put her behind her mother's leg despite how embarrassed she had sounded only minutes ago. The man cleared his throats before he very carefully and slowly, as if not to make Kate think he would do anything, went to grab something in the bag he had managed to hold on to.