Tessa spent two months learning their ways from Alec, and a lot of times, she questioned their methods after which her mind refused to improve that action, no matter how hard she tried, knowing that she needed to do this if she wanted to have a roof over her head. It frustrated the man to no extent, often losing his temper with her and leaving her paralyzed with fear.

But during this time, the "gang" had grown quite "accustomed" to her.

They all had their own things to do during the day, but came together for a nice hot meal every night. Tessa's meal.

Even now, after a long day of getting their hands dirty, Caleb, Jake, and Selma marched into the crumbling house, completely beat and tired from the day's events. Tessa did her best to greet them with an enthusiastic smile as they nodded back in acknowledgment.

"Where is Alec?" Caleb stretched on the sofa.

"Said he had a job," Tessa shrugged.

"Oh, right," Jake drawled in realization and flopped back onto the already broken couch. "That job,"

"How long until food?" The question arose from Selma who was rubbing her aching shoulders.

"Just five more minutes, and then I'll dish it up when Alec arrives,"

"Fuck him," Caleb growled at the response. "I need food,"

Tessa didn't say anything in response and instead disappeared into the kitchen. They all waited for her to finish cooking, all of them impatient for Alec to arrive, and just as Jake was getting up to gran himself a plate, the front door opened as the man in question walked in.

"Well, thank you!" Caleb threw his hands up. "Took you long enough,"

"It took longer than I thought," Was all the explanation he gave before Tessa brought everyone a plate and they all dug in.

They ate in silence and finished up as Tessa stood to take away the plates, but stopped when Jake gestured for her to sit back down.

"You've been with us for the last two months now," He directed his words to her as she nodded in confirmation. "Now, we are going to give you a job tomorrow to prove your loyalty to us,"

Tessa's eyes widened, knowing very well that she couldn't do anything, her moral sense stopping her from learning anything that Alec had been trying to teach her. Concerned, she turned to look at Alec, silently asking him what she is supposed to say, and watched him nod for her to agree.

"What..." She turned back to Jake. "What would you have me do?"

"You will get us some drugs,"

Swallowing thickly, Tessa crept along the wall and towards the back alley of the pharmacy. Inhaling deeply, she halted at the back window and kneeled to push on the glass in her attempts to make it budge, but it wouldn't move, she pleadingly glanced across the street to where Jake and Alec stood against the wall, watching her. Looking at their expectant looks, she knew that if she didn't do this, she wouldn't have a roof over her head any more, and Alec promised her that this was the only job they'll have her do before she could resume working in the kitchen.

Exhaling shakily, she looked around herself for something to break the glass with, reassuring herself that this was the first and last time she'll be doing this. Finding nothing, Tessa wrapped the cloth in her pocket around her knuckles and put all her weight into that punch as the glass shattered and she winced at the sound, feeling like a disgraced criminal as she looked over her shoulder to confirm that the two boys were still standing there and there was no sound of police sirens.

Turning back to the broken window, she removed the remaining shards before shimming in through the window sill, giving one last glance towards the boys before pushing herself off the sill and falling on all her fours onto the broken glass, whimpering as it stabbed her palms.

Struggling to get up, she watched the blood flowing from her wounds and winced at the sting rippling through her before biting down on her lip to keep from crying out. Picking out the shards in her hands, she looked around for the drug she had been sent to retrieve.

Finding nothing in the room she stood in, Tessa had no choice but to make her way into the main pharmacy, swallowing down the guilt before slowly pushing open the door that led into the shop, waiting – hoping – for some form of alarm so she could get out of there without having committed a felony; but she had no choice other than to resume her journey inside when no sound triggered her.

Prying open the cash register, she gathered all the money, trying her best not to get blood onto the bills before stuffing it into the bag slung over her shoulder.

Looking around in search for the drug, she tried to will the tears of fear away as her stomach dropped into her stomach when she couldn't find what she was looking for, knowing that they would dispose of her if she didn't bring back what they were asking for. Her fingers trembled violently as she picked up the prescription bottles, smearing blood over the white containers.

She gasped when she found a key behind the bottles, picking it up before looking around herself, her eyes catching sight of the drawers. Jamming it into the first, she grunted when it wouldn't get in, and groaned when it wasn't the second one either. Inhaling deeply, she fitted the key into the third lock, gasping when it fit and then unlocked as she turned the key.

Tessa wanted to run, she didn't want to do this she knew not to do this.

But she didn't have a choice.

Wiping the tears from her face, she picked up the three marijuana packets in the drawer and stuffed them into her bag. Exhaling deeply, she felt light headed as she made her way back to the room she had jumped in, it all felt like a surreal dream and she just wanted to wake up from this nightmare. But the pain that surged through her when she hoisted herself onto the windowsill was a testament to the fact that was committing a crime.

Dangling from the sill, she tried to move over the side, her body too tired to try and lift herself up.

"It's almost over," She reminded herself in a trembling voice, gasping when two hands grabbed her arms and pulled her up, a breath of relief flooding over her to know it was Jake and Alec.

But her gaze turned over her shoulder when she felt someone pull the bag away from her, and then jumped when something cold encircled her wrists.

"You are under arrest for forced entry, theft, and drug possession," The voice above her spoke as she found herself paralyzed on the floor. "Whatever you say, can and will be held against you in a court of law," The officer lifted her onto her feet as she let him lead her in stunned silence.

"You have the right to have your lawyer during any proceedings and if you do not have one, then one will be provided to you," He stated in finality before putting a hand on the top of her head and settled her into the back of the police car and closed the door behind him.

Her hands shook in her lap as the blood dripped onto her yellow raincoat and she felt claustrophobic as her breathing came out in harsh pants, her eyes darting around the interior, noticing that there were no handles on the inside and watched the two officers in the front as one of them spoke something inaudible into the radio.

Slumping in her seat, Tessa pressed the back of her hands to her eyes, trying to will the tears away knowing that she was going to prison for something she didn't even want to do, but knew that there was no point in crying; it would get her nowhere other than leaving her emotionally drained.

Tessa eventually found herself seated on the bed in the holding cell, stripped off her belongings and left to sit in her black skinny jeans and blouse, her hands firmly pressed together to try and stem the blood flow and hoping that the pain would force her to wake up as the tears of fear and desperation streamed down her cheeks.

The sound of the door unlocking had her jump up and watched with anxiety as the door opened to show a figure looming the doorway, the light falling from behind and bathing him in a dark shadow before he approached and dragged a chair behind him. Tessa instantly scrambled back onto the bed, squeezing into the corner of the bed and pulling her knees up to her chest, trying to shrink into herself and closed her eyes tight when the dragging sound stopped before her.

The sound of his low rumbling chuckling has Tessa slowly peek out from behind her arms, staring up at the man seated on the chair before her leaning forward on his elbows and regarding her with amusement.

He had a slim and long face with dark brown hair and corresponding eyes, clean shaven with a smirk on his lips and an eyebrow raised at her reaction.

"Give me your hand," He stated and put up the first aid kit onto the bed, Tessa eyeing him uncertainly before slowly shuffling closer and put her bleeding palm into his large calloused one, feeling how warm they were compared to the cold of her own.

The officer curled his fingers around her wrist and tore open an alcohol swab packet, and began wiping at her cut skin, Tessa hissing at the sting, but watched with uncertainty as he gently blew cold air onto her palm and then began to bandage it.

"I didn't want to do it," Tessa sniffled in front of him, the officer looking up at her from below his lashes as he wound the gauze across her cut skin. "Jake knew I couldn't do it, but he said I had to if I wanted a roof over my head, and I wanted a roof over my head and Alec tried to tell him to leave me alone, but Selma wouldn't have that and-"

"Alec White?" The office before her inquired curiously as he took her other palm into his hand. "And Jake Clarke and Selma Martin? Are these the people you're talking about?"

"Y-yes..."

"Hmm..." He hummed in acknowledgement. "Would you be willing to tell the judge this?"

"If the judge asks, I'll tell him,"

He looked up at her for a second before returning to wrapping her second hand.

"Your court hearing is scheduled for the morning, Ms. Forbes," He informed when he was packing away everything. "You might want to rest before that,"

"Thank you, officer," She called after him as he began to walk away. "For bandaging my hands," She held up his handiwork and watched him give an acknowledged nod before stepping out of the holding cell and locking it behind him.

Quietly sighing to herself, Tessa lay down on the bed and stared at the bunk above her, the pain overwhelming her and she left the tears fall; the reality of the situation finally sinking in.

Tessa woke to the sound of key jingling and instantly sat up in bed, rubbing at her eyes before the officer entered. Leaning against the doorway, he looked disheveled himself as if though he had spent the night here.

"Let's get going, Bambi," He yawned and cocked his head in the direction of the door. "Judge is waiting for you,"

Swallowing thickly, Tessa walked towards him and held out her wrist as he handcuffed them, the cold metal having her wince as he glanced at her flinch for a moment and then led her down the hall and towards a room.

Settling down behind the chair, the officer stood behind her and they waited in silence.

"All rise for Judge Mills,"

Everyone rose to their feet as a woman walked out from behind the doors and took her place before gesturing for everyone to settle down.

"Alright, Ms. Forbes," The judge looked at her from over her glasses. "According to this, you have been convicted for stealing from a medical pharmacy,"

Tessa nodded in confirmation and swallowed thickly.

"And according to the tests, you're clean," She read the piece of paper before her. "May I ask why you found it suitable to rob a drug store for marijuana?"

"Well...it was a test," Tessa stammered in response.

"A test?" The judge confirmed with a raised eyebrow. "What sort of test?"

"Well, ma'am, it was meant to prove my loyalty to those I was staying with and if I was worthy of staying,"

"With whom?"

"A group of four, ma'am,"

"Can you give us the names of these members?"

"Caleb Moore, Selma Martin, Jake Clarke, and Alec White," She named them as the lawyer wrote down the names.

"Are there any other crimes you have committed?"

"No, your honor,"

"So you're only convicted for shoplifting, is that correct?" Tessa nodded. "So you're facing one year of jail time,"

"Alright, we'll be taking a break to come with a verdict, officer Edwards, please take her back."

Tessa looked up and saw another officer grab her by the arm and lead her out of the court room before she was taken back to her holding cell as they waited there.

After an hour, they were called back and Tessa was settled in her previous seat, the judge removing her glasses as she looked at her from above her stapled fingers.

"Well, Ms. Forbes, after giving it some thought, we have come to a verdict." The judge spoke. "You will not be facing jail time."

Those words had Tessa heave a breath of relief and slump in her seat.

"However, we thought it appropriate for you to live with a better role model--given the fact that you only shoplifted on the accounts of bad influence with no more criminal charges. So you will be living with Officer Robertson for the duration of your probation."

Tessa looked at the judge in confusion. "W-who is Officer Robertson?"

"That would be me, Bambi."