Chicago PD: Dani Ruzek

Chapter 2- Facing Facts

"Danielle, come in." The Principal said after Dani had waited outside for a few minutes and then knocked after 15 minutes as instructed by the Principal.

"Now that you have given me time to look over the footage and that I have spoken to both of you and Mrs Boden, I can see that this is clearly not an isolated incident. Now Marissa sticks by her story, but I have shown her the tape and she struggled to deny it any further that she was the one who taunted you and started the fight. However, because it turned into a fight and you retaliated you will have to spend some time in detention as well I'm afraid." Principal Jackson explained.

"Yes Sir, but..." Dani went to object.

"Believe me I understand Danielle that this does seem unfair as your were defending yourself and you got carried away but a few extra punches perhaps more than necessary were added in and I have to be seen to be following our zero tolerance policy for violence at this school. This is the lowest form of sanction I could give to you for that." The Principal explained in a frank but in a understanding tone.

Dani froze she didn't particularly care about the detention but she was just so shocked by what had happened, the feeling of losing control.

"Danielle." Principal Jackson said trying to get her attention.

"Yes Sir, sorry. I understand." Dani said in response after snapping out of her freeze.

"Alright you can go, if you need to have another conversation about anything to do with this or anything Marissa Johnson related come to my office. Have a good night now." The Principal said as she got up and was about to walk out.

"Yes Sir and you, have a good night. Thanks." Dani replied.

"Everything ok?" Mrs Boden asked as Dani left the office.

"Yeah just a few detentions to go to. I got off lightly I guess. I appreciate you looking out for me and telling the Principal what really happened. Pushing for the security tape to be watched." Dani said with a slight smile.

"Oh don't worry about that it was no problem. Just don't like to see kids getting picked on plus you've spent a lot of time in the firehouse in the past and I know everyone at 51 considers you family which makes you my family too." Donna said more quitely so as not to appear biased and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder She wasn't that kind of person though. She didn't just help Dani out because she was practically family she was helping her out because she saw a kid that was being victimised by another and she knew what she had been through at home lately. "You gonna be ok getting home?"

Dani just nodded and slightly smiled again in response.

"Alright get home safe. If you need anything at school don't be afraid to come get me ok?" Donna said.

"Ok thank you Mrs Boden." Dani said again.

"Alright Dani." The teacher said and walked away.

Dani walked for a little while before taking an L train for the short remainder of the journey. Ordinarily she would just walk the whole way, but she didn't want the risk of any of Marissa or her little gang of girls retaliating after today, while she was on her way to the 21st.

She was so mad and so upset. She hadn't had the chance to think about it properly before and never showed how she was really feeling at school unless she had to. It boiled up inside of her.

By the time she got to the district she opened the door and rushed past the desk straight to the gate where Trudy saw her and buzzed her up anyway because that's what she had been used to doing everyday. Luckily Trudy had been in the middle of something, talking to a Patrolman so didn't even question it or see her bruised eye and cheek.

Dani walked slowly up the stairs knowing that it would be hard to avoid the glances of the intelligence unit as she had with Trudy.

She only saw Jay and Hailey who were making coffee and Voight doing paperwork in his office. The others must have been sent out.

Jay said 'hi' but she didn't reply and he saw how upset she looked so he and Hailey followed her into the locker room. They walked a bit faster when they heard the slam of Dani throwing her bag against the lockers. When they walked in she was about to hit it.

"Hey you don't wanna do that kid." Jay said in a sympathetic tone grabbing both upper arms of Dani and pulling her towards him before she could hit the locker.

"Get off me! Get off me Jay!" She yelled, trying to struggle out of his grip, his arm under her chin and across her shoulders.

"Not gonna happen until you calm down. Calm down kid." Jay said raising his voice yet in a gentle tone in an attempt to calm Dani down.

Dani eventually calmed down and Jay half guided her half dragged her to sit on the bench in the locker room and put a hand on her shoulder, mostly to comfort her but also to make sure she wouldn't try anything else.

"You gonna tell us what happened sweetie?" Hailey said taking Jay's place by putting an arm around the shoulders of the teen and pulling her closer to her.

Jay leant against the lockers to listen to Dani explain what had happened.

"At school, these girls one of them used to be my best friend. They won't leave me alone. Today they said that it was the cops at the 21st's fault for Al dying." Dani said tearing up and balling up her fists.

"That's not it is it?" Jay said and Dani shook her head.

"They said that it was obvious that Al was gonna die, because he was stupid and he let his daughter walk into some fire. They had no idea what they were talking about! " Dani said raising her voice a little and getting angry again, tears rolling down her face.

Jay's phone rang as Hailey pulled Dani into an embrace.

"Breathe, Dani... breathe." Hailey repeated rubbing the arm of the girl comfortingly in an attempt to calm her down.

"It's Kim." Jay said and walked closer to the door to answer his phone.

"Hey." Jay said almost in a sigh.

"Jay is Dani there?" Kim said worriedly on the other side of the phone.

"Kim don't worry it's ok she's here she's safe I'm guessing you heard what happened at school." Jay assumed.

"Yeah, yeah the Principal called us a few minutes ago we're on our way back thanks for taking care of her is she ok?" Kim asked.

"It's no problem and she... she's got a killer bruise to her face but physically apart from that she seems fine. She is upset though, we caught her about to punch a locker when we first came in." Jay said in response.

"Alright we're five minutes out." Kim said.

"Alright I hear you. We got her." Jay said.

"Thanks Jay, tell her we're close ok?"

"You got it, bye Kim."

"Bye." Kim responded and put the phone down.

"Is she ok?" Adam said. He knew his little girl had a tendency especially lately after Al's death to 'lose her cool'. She got that off of him.

"She's ok. She's upset about hitting that kid and what they said, Jay said she nearly punched a locker before they walked in and stopped her." Kim explained.

"Is she hurt?" Adam asked.

"Just that bruise on her face the Principal told us about." Kim answered with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey are you ok?" Adam asked seeing the concerned look on his wife's face.

"Adam, I was wrong to send her back to school so soon after Al and Lexie." Kim said feeling responsible.

"It's not your fault darlin' you know that and its not our baby's either. She was doing great back at school till those little punks came along and messed with her. She just needs a little more time thats all." Adam said parking the car at the district and getting out with Kim.

Kim walked up to Adam and he wrapped his arm around her whist they walked closer to the precinct.

"We all do." Kim agreed.