He's Forbidden, as am I

Johnny loosened his tie a little as he waited for Tammy's social worker, Ms. Avery, come to take him to her. Zacky gave him secret eyes into her case, as long as he didn't tell anyone anything. Don't want to compromise an ongoing investigation. He had a feeling he meant Brian more than anyone. Since he seemed to have some kind of special attachment to the girl or whatever. It's not really surprising to him really. Brian was one of those guys that would find a dirty hungry kitten, and take it home to nurse it back to health. It wasn't a side he showed a lot of people, but he really didn't like seeing people, or anything hurting.

Some of the guys are a little on the fence about him taking her in. Especially Jimmy, but Johnny is pretty sure there is a reason for that. Maybe he sees something everybody else doesn't. He was always good at that. Better than Johnny, and he was trained in human behavior. It was almost like Jimmy had a special insight into someone's soul. He always knows what people are feeling.

Honestly, Johnny thinks it would be the best place for her. From what he's learned from reading her case, she was already showing signs of PTSD. If she trust him, even just a little it would be better than anything else. It was obvious she had some kind of infatuation with the guy. He gathered that much from the poem she wrote about him. Wonder if he's figured that out yet? Maybe that's what Jimmy's worried about. That she end up with stronger feelings for him. It was a plausible outcome, but still no reason not to try. The only thing Johnny was worried about was if Brian would be able to handle a person with PTSD. It wasn't going to be easy, depending on how bad it was.

"Dr. Seward?" a woman's voice pulled him out of thought. Johnny smiled, and put his hand out, "Ms. Avery?" she nodded as she shook his hand. "You're here to see Tammy right?" she asked as he followed her through the door she appeared in. "I am."

"Well I feel you may have wasted your time."

"And why is that?"

"She doesn't seem to want to cooperate with anyone that wants to help her. She's determined to ride this place out until she's 18."

"Did she say that? Maybe she just doesn't like the people trying to help her." Johnny suggested, not being able to resist the urge to be a smartass. Ms. Avery paused in front of a door, giving him a slightly annoyed look. "Sorry." he mumbled, putting his smirk away. It was a valid question. He's not going to cooperate with people he doesn't like.

"Tammy, there's a Dr. Seward here to see you." Ms. Avery said when she opened the door they stopped at. "I told you I don't want to talk to your fucking doctors." Johnny heard her snap from the room. "Well I guess it's a good thing I'm not one of their fucking doctors." he said as he pushed past Ms. Avery, and stepped into the room. "Who the fuck are you?" Tammy sat up from where she was laying on her bed. "Dr. Seward. Were you not listening?"

Johnny narrowed his eyes when he seen a smirk grace the girls lips. "Look, an actual shrink." she giggled as she pointed it out to the social worker. "Look, short jokes I've already heard before." Johnny was quick back with no amusement on his face whatsoever. "Damn it," Tammy grumbled, looking a little disappointed before that smirk made it's way back out, "I'm going to have to try harder."

Johnny chuckled, and sat at a chair next to a little table. The room looked like a fucking jail cell. Except she had an actual bathroom, and the doors weren't locked bars. "Good luck with that, sweetheart. I hang out with four guys that are all at least two inches taller than me, and don't let me forget it." he said. Johnny watched the amusement fade from her face as he spoke. He knew it would. It wasn't like he put that in there on accident. "Don't call me that." she said soft and calm, but her face was completely void of emotion. "Why? Is that what he called you?" Johnny asked knowing. Zack told him about his slip up.

Neither one of them saw Ms. Avery slip away as a tense silence started to form. He's already gotten more interaction out of her than anyone else. She wasn't going to stick around, and ruin it. The look on Tammy's face was hard for Johnny to decipher. He didn't know whether she was going to go off, or close up completely. He sure wasn't expecting the knowing smile come out. "I see what you're doing," she said, wiggling a finger at him, "Mama always told me Leprechauns like to play tricks." she grinned. This guy wasn't getting to her.

Johnny let out another chuckle as he unbuttoned his sleeves, and rolled them up to his elbows. It was kind of warm in here. "You caught me." he said putting his hands up a little to surrender. "Do I get your pot of gold now?" Tammy giggled earning another chuckle. "Nope." he said with a shake of his head, and she pouted. "But those are the rules. You catch a Leprechaun, and he gives you his pot of gold." she playfully argued in an obvious tone. Johnny smirked and shook his head again. "Trust me, if I had a pot of gold, no one would get within ten miles of it," he said leaning forward a bit, "You'll never get my lucky charms."

Tammy could help but laugh at his sorry excuse for an Irish accent. She kind of liked this guy. He was a good sport, and could make fun of himself. She liked that. "So who are you?" she repeated her first question, only a little nicer. "I thought we already went over this?" Johnny asked, his smirk back out. Tammy let out a weak chuckle and shook her head, "As much as I appreciate the art of smartassary, seriously. If you're not one of their doctors, then who are you?" she asked again with genuine curiosity. She noticed the tattoos. How many psychiatrist have tattoos? "I'm a friend of a friend." he said simply. "Um nooo," Tammy shook her head, "I have one friend, and she doesn't know you." she told him. She would know. "You have more than that. You just don't know it."

Tammy narrowed her eyes a little at the gnome. Who the hell could he be talking about? Kimmie was her only friend, and she's never seen him before. Unless...."Did Brian send you?" she asked so softly, Johnny almost didn't hear her. The cop was his friend, and he was the only other person who she would even remotely call a friend. Maybe Jimmy too. Johnny nodded, and cocked a brow. "Did you just call him Brian?" He knew Jimmy let his students use his first name, but that's just how he is. He didn't like being called Mr. Sullivan or sir. It made him feel uptight and boring, and well, that's not Jimmy. He also knew though, neither Brian or Matt did the same. Johnny suppressed the urge to chuckle as he thought about it. Maybe this girl really was the teacher's pet.

A slight blush crept up on Tammy's cheeks, and she looked down at her lap. It was a little weird calling her teacher by his first name, or former teacher. She wasn't really sure what he was now. A friend? Whatever he was, she liked using his name. It made her feel special in a way. "He told me his name the day I left." she said, meeting Johnny's eyes again. "Oh, okay," he said, nodding in understanding, "see right there, he was telling you, you had a friend in him."

Johnny scrunched his brow together in confusion. He thought for sure knowing that would make her happy, or at least smile a little. Why did it look like she was about to cry. "Why?" she asked almost at a sob as she looked back down, "After all the awful things I said to him, why would he still want to help me?" Johnny let out a sigh, getting it now. She felt guilty. It was something that often quickly followed whenever he popped into her head. Which was more often than she liked. Tammy tried to blink away her tears, and met Dr. Seward's eyes, who was kneeling in front of her now.

"Look, the thing you have to understand about Brian is," Johnny paused, thinking of the best way to put it, "Yeah, words can cut him, deep, and he may forgive, but he'll never forget-"

"That's really not making me feel better." Tammy interrupted only to be met with a look that said he was getting to it. "The thing about you is, he understands the situation, and the emotions beneath the words. Don't think he came to this decision easily. Ultimately he was bound by law, but that didn't mean he didn't go over every possible outcome. He knew he would be the one that was bringing this all out, so in away he was prepared for it. More than likely whatever you said has already been forgotten."

Tammy let out a sigh, and wiped the few tears that managed to escape, away. It didn't do much to make her feel better. She still said it. She can't go back and unsay it. She didn't mean it. Anger got the best of her, and she has a hard time controlling the word vomit that spews from her mouth when that happens. "I just wish I could apologize." she whispered, avoiding the doctors eyes. Johnny let a small sympathetic smile come out. "I could tell him if you want." he suggested. "No," Tammy shook her head, "I want to do it." He deserved that much at least, to hear it directly from her. She just didn't know when she could, or if she would even get the chance to. She told him she never wanted to see him again. She just hoped he didn't take it to heart. She missed him almost as much as Kimmie, and it pained her just as much.

Johnny gave her a small nod before returning to his original seat. "How would you describe your relationship with Brian?" he asked, glad that they were on the subject of him. He wanted to get a feel for the amount of trust she had for him. He wasn't going to tell her that Brian was trying to bring her home. He asked him not to, so he won't. He just didn't want to get her hopes up, and then have everything fall apart. He's already hit a bump in the road being a single male. They preferred couples, but exceptions can and have been made. "What does that have to do with anything?" Tammy asked, narrowing her eyes at him. What did he know?

"I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the people you trust in your life."

"I trust Kimmie."

"Ah the best friend. That's kind of a given. Who else?"

"No one."

"I'm not buying it."

"I'm not selling it. There isn't a single person in this world that I trust more than Kimmie."

"What about less? There isn't anyone you maybe trust just a little?"

Tammy let out a small, defeated sigh, and ran her fingers through her hair. "I guess I trust him a little. He did try to help me, and is still trying. He was one of the few people I talked to at that fucking hell hole," she said with a frown that quickly changed, "And Jimmy," she smiled, "I talk to him and trust him some, but that's a little different."

"How so?" Johnny asked already having a good idea. He just wondered if he could get her to admit that she had some sort of feelings for him. He would never tell Brian. One, that would be a breach in Doctor/Patient confidentiality. Two, she probably wouldn't like that, and though he wouldn't admit it out loud, she could probably kick his ass. Three, it very well could ruin the relationship the two already had, and he really didn't want to do that.

"I don't know," Tammy tried to think of a way to describe it without giving too much away, "There is just something about the guy that screams, you can trust me. I wouldn't hurt a fly." Johnny let out a small chuckle. "That's not true at all. I've seen that guy try to Karate chop, and kick a fly out of the air. Swore it was out to get him cause it kept hitting him in the head." he told her with a wide grin. Tammy couldn't help but laugh, "Why does that not surprise me. He's pretty crazy at school. Don't see why he would be any different outside. The thing about him is, he's just everyone's friend. You know?"

Johnny nodded exactly knowing what she was talking about. That just how Jimmy was. He liked everyone, and if he didn't like you, then well you really fucked up. "And Brian?" he continued to press. Tammy suspiciously narrowed her eyes at him again. Why did it seem like he was fishing for something? "What are you trying to get me to say, Frodo?" she smirked a little. "I'm taller than a hobbit, and you're still going to have to try harder than that," he returned her smirk right back, "The people we surround ourselves with contribute a great deal to our character, and mental state. You obviously don't allow a lot of people into your life, so why him?"

"Cause he doesn't talk to me like some dumb kid like all the other teachers. Minus Jimmy and Coach Sanders, but I don't really talk to him. Have you seen that guy? He's huge, and kind of intimidating, but its gym class, so we don't really get a chance to converse." she kind of shrugged as she babbled.

Johnny just smiled and nodded. She obviously wasn't going to give him what he wanted, yet, and he wasn't going to push it any further. Didn't need to go and piss her off. Things have been going surprisingly well, and he wanted that to continue. "I have. Like I said, I hang out with four other guys that constantly remind me I'm the short one." he chuckled. "So do you know Zack too?" she asked getting a nod. "What's with you guys?" she questioned with a grin. "What?" Johnny asked with his own confused little smile. "You don't really look like you should be doing what you're doing. I mean, you just don't see a lot of doctors and teachers with tattoos. Visible ones at least. Cops it's not as rare."

"Hey, I use to rock a Mohawk too. Actually we were all in a band when we were younger. I still have some of our old demos."

"Really? Can I listen to them?"

"Can I have another session?"

"You are a tricky little leprechaun, aren't you?"

Johnny chuckled, "I can bring them with me, say Monday?" Tammy stared him down, a slight smile ghosting her lips as she thought about it. "What time?"

"Eh, whenever I feel like it." Tammy let another chuckle and just shook her head. "Alright then. I'll see you whenever." Johnny shook his head right back. "Not getting rid of me yet. We still have fifteen minutes." he tapped his watch at her.

"Okay, so why did you quit with the band thing?"

"I'm suppose to be asking the questions here."

"We can go back and forth. You want me to answer yours, you answer mine."

"Fine. It was mostly parental influence. Some of them wanted us to find more "realistic" jobs." he shrugged, "Not all of them. In fact Brian's dad still tries to convince us to try again sometimes." he told her. "Maybe you should, so you all are pretty close?" she asked. Johnny gave her a nod, letting it slide that she asked two questions in a row. The sadness that washed over her face as she spoke may have helped with that. "Probably not as close as you and Kimmie though." he said, and Tammy let out a groan as she flopped back on the bed. "I haven't even been able to talk to her since I got here. I don't even know how she is doing." she complained. It sucked. She missed her like fucking crazy. "Why not?" Johnny asked scrunching his brow together. "Cause only good kids get phone privileges." she sat up, with mockery in her voice.

"It's fucking bullshit!" she was suddenly standing, pacing, the anger very clear on her face. "Maybe if they would let me talk to her, I'd be a little nicer to people around here. Maybe if they quit forcing these foster families on me, I would have talked to one of their fucking doctors." she ranted, as Johnny just sat quietly observing. "Nobody want's to fucking compromise. They just want you to do what they tell you. Fuck that. Sorry Mr. Taxpayer," she said looking at him briefly before returning to her rant, "Your money will just get sent to my foster family to help pay for me. What difference does it make if I ride your dollar out here. They can shove their foster families up their asses."

"What if they find a family in Huntington Beach?" Johnny dared to interrupt her rant, but again she surprised him, and plopped back down on her bed. "I don't know," she sighed out, "I don't really want to live with someone I don't know."

"But you'll be back home with Kimmie."

"But I'm safer here." she said almost at a whisper slightly hugging herself. It amazed Johnny a little, how quickly her emotions changed, cause right now he could see the scared girl inside. "We don't have to talk about him yet," he said, giving her the chance to avoid this subject right now, "We've already went over the fifteen minutes anyway." he told her, noticing the relief on her face as he glanced at his watch. "So Monday then?" she asked. "Yeah, say around ten?" he suggested. "Thought you were just going to show up whenever?" she let another smile come out. "A guy can change his mind."

Tammy let out a small giggle just before her eyes lit up with excitement. Johnny watched with confused amusement as she jumped up off her bed and ran out the door. "Msssss. Aaaavvveeerrrryyy." she sang as she ran down the hall before coming to a sliding halt at the end. "Msssss. Aaaaavvveeerrry." she sang out again as she repeatedly hit the bell sitting on the counter. "What?" the social worker asked, annoyed as she covered the bell with her hand. "I talked to a doctor. Can I call Kimmie now?" Tammy asked smiling sweetly at her.

Ms. Avery glanced skeptically over Tammy's shoulder at Dr. Seward, and he gave her a slight nod. "What? You don't believe me? He was in there for over an hour. What did you think we were doing? Fucking?" she asked, not even bothering to try to hide her smile. Johnny tried hard to hold in his laugh, but he was failing. Ms. Avery, on the other hand, didn't look the least bit amused. "Five minutes." she said placing the phone on the counter. "Thaaannnkkkk yyyoooouuu." Tammy drew it out with another wide smile that finally got a small one out of the social worker, and she gave her a small nod.

"Do you have a minute to discuss future appointments?" Johnny asked Ms. Avery once Tammy picked up the receiver, and started dialing. She gave him a nod, and disappeared behind a wall only to reappear, holding open the door that lead to the offices. "So she agreed to keep seeing you?" she asked as she lead him to her office. "She agreed to see me Monday. We'll go from there." he told her as they walked into her office. "I'm surprised she talked to you," Ms. Avery said as she took a seat behind the desk, "She won't even talk to any of the other kids here."

"I know her teacher, Mr. Haner. I'm sure that helped some."

"The one that reported the abuse correct?"

"Yes, you've met him?"

"Briefly at the police station."

Johnny nodded slightly, "He's the real reason I wanted to speak to you. I just didn't want Tammy to know yet." Ms. Avery looked at him slightly confused. "Know what?"

"Well he's trying to become a foster parent for her-" he started to explain only to have her cut him off. "Really? That would be perfect," she said with relief, "When we can't find a relative, we usually prefer someone else they know like a teacher before putting them with a stranger." she told him. "Well I didn't want to get her hopes up. He hit a bump being single-" again she cut him off. " Oh that won't be a problem. I'll just write a letter of recommendation to the committee." Johnny smiled, "Looks like we're on the same track here. I was going to do the same. With her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, someone she trust even a little, would be best." Ms. Avery nodded in agreement. "I'll start on it tonight." she told him as she stood to show him out. "Thank you. I'm sure he'll appreciate it, her too." he told her. "Not a problem at all."

Johnny walked out the door, and was about to leave when a voice stopped him. "See you Monday, Dr. Doolittle." Tammy giggled. "Wait, he talked to animals." Johnny told her as she hung up the phone. "Yeah, but you're still little." she pointed out wiggling her finger at him again. Johnny had to laugh. "I'll give you that one, it was new." he said, slightly shaking his head when she threw her fist in the air with a "Fuck yeah" before taking off back to her room.

Notes

Not entirely happy with the way I ended this, but it was getting long.
Again, Thank you all for sticking with me :)
You all fucking rock <3 <3