The following is the story I wrote about the tv show " Due South". All characters, names, titles, and all other related items are property of Alliance and CBS. I did not create them; however, this following story is mine. I wrote it and the main plot idea is mine. Please ask permission before you use it for any purpose other than reading.

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The following is rated PG. There is some mild violence, and some material that may be considered inappropriate for young children.

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"The Girl"

By : Carla Vet

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Part One

The girl in the alley rummaged through her backpack, looking for the cigarettes she was sure were in there the day before. Her back was turned towards the road, and she didn't see the man approaching behind her. He coughed. He was a younger guy, in his mid-twenties. He was tall and greasy, an obviously scummy guy who was badly in need of a shave.

"Hey." He coughed again, grabbing the girl's attention. "Oh, hey John," the girl replied casually, continuing to search through her bag.

"So do you have it?"

"Look John, I still don't have your money, okay? Just leave me alone."

He grabbed her shoulder with a startling grasp. "What do you mean, you don't have it? You know Tony needs it." The girl stood up and faced him with surprising courage.

"Hey, I can get it to you, no problem!" John grabbed her neck with his large hand and slung her against the wall.

"You said you would have it." The girl's face turned pink under the hold of his hand.

"I'm telling you, I can get it to you, I just need some time." She coughed, pretending she didn't realize he was choking her. "That's all." The man slapped her cheek pitilessly. The girl stood rigid, not about to cave in under fear.

"I need the money NOW," he growled. The girl gasped for air, then took the man by surprise. She kicked the him in the shins, so he consequently released his grip on her throat. Not stopping there, she took a flawless punch at his face. He cursed at her. The girl grabbed her knapsack and ran for the sidewalk. The man didn't hesitate or think about his actions, and immediately pulled a pistol out from underneath his belt. He fired once, but missed her. He recocked his gun. The girl didn't look back, just turned out of that alley and kept on running. She didn't stop until she reached a desolate corner, hopefully out of view. She slid down the brick wall into a sitting position, put her face in her hands, and began to cry softly.

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Part Two

"So you and Caroline go awhile back, huh?" Ray grinned.

"Yes, since the seventh grade." Fraser replied. Ray gave a smiling cough that implied that he knew Ben and Caroline had a fling. Fraser, on the other hand, stared straight-faced at his friend, which implied that Ray did not know what he was talking about. They both didn't say anything for a minute.

"So will you help me find her?" Fraser queried.

"Sure, why not? Sounds like fun." Ray responded with a grin. "Great."

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Part Three

"Are you sure we should try the school? I don't think we could find anything there." Ray remarked. He took the last bite of the candy bar in his hand, and tossed the wrapper into a nearby trash can.

"Well I don't see what harm it could do," Fraser replied. "I don't see where else we have to look, unless we could find anyone who knows her." He stopped abruptly from his steady walking pace and listened intently. "Ray- did you hear that?" His ears perked at the sound he knew he had heard. It was a gunshot.

"What?" Ray inquired, not really wanting to know. He had heard it also, but figured it best if he didn't handle it. Fraser began to run down the sidewalk, looking for the spot where the two gunshots had occurred. Ray groaned, and started to jog behind him. Fraser stopped in front of an alley, covered with walls of spray paint-designs. He saw a teenage girl, probably around fifteen or sixteen, crouched on the ground, holding her hand over her arm.

"Are you all right?" He questioned, carefully leaning over her. The girl winced.

"Damn, yeah, I'm okay. Sorta." Fraser gently removed her hand from her arm, only to discover a patch of blood trickling down her sleeve.

"You were shot!" He exclaimed. "Who did this?" he asked, pulling out a handkerchief to stop the bleeding.

"I don't know," the girl replied, eyeing Fraser's movements. "Ow!"

"Sorry. I don't think this is anything major, but you should go to the hospital to get this properly bandaged. Do you need some help?" Fraser asked, helping her to her feet.

"No, I'm alright. He barely hit me." She looked into his face. "Well, thank you." Ray, who had been watching from the sidewalk, cleared his throat. Fraser eyed something that evidently had fallen out of the girl's pocket, and was lying on the ground. It was an open wallet. He bent down to pick it up, and couldn't help but notice a card almost falling out that read "E.J. RAMIS". He handed it to her.

"You're E.J. Ramis?" Fraser cried, half asking, half stating. "Your aunt asked me to look for you." E.J. readjusted her position on her arm.

"Did she? Well, I'll be on my way now," she said hurriedly, deciding to try and make her way past Ray.

"Hold on one second," Ray said, blocking her path. "Why don't we go get your arm patched up? C'mon, we'll talk."

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Part Four

E.J. Ramis pulled her sleeve down over the medical tape that was now over her arm. The doctor looked at her.

"You're lucky," she said. "That bullet barely swiped you." Yeah, lucky, whatever, E.J. thought to herself. Fraser helped her off the examining table.

"I told you it was nothing," she said to whoever was listening. "Is it alright if I can just go home now?" she said, walking into the waiting room. She picked up the three coats off the coat hook and handed two of them to Ray and Fraser.

"Yeah, no problem." Ray said. He opened the door.

"Oh, Fraser," E.J. said, as if suddenly remembering something. "Can I borrow a couple bucks? For bus fare?" Fraser pondered this question carefully. "I ride the bus alone all the time, if that's what you're thinking," she added.

"Sure." Fraser pulled three (thankfully) American bills out of his pocket and handed them to her.

"Thank you kindly," she said to him. Ray stopped in his tracks.

"Huh?! What did you just say?" This question surprised E.J. a little.

"I said thank you."

"No, no you didn't. You said Thank you kindly." E.J. stared at him, bewildered. "Have you two met before?" Ray asked. E.J. and Fraser looked at each other. "Aw, forget it."

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Part Five

Fraser turned another page in his book. He was sitting on his bed, Diefenbaker loyally at his side. Dief yawned. Fraser stood up to get himself a glass of water, but a knock came at his door. He opened it, and found E.J. standing in front of him, staring at her feet. She wrapped her arms around her stomach. She didn't look up at him.

"E.J., hi! Please, come in," he said to her. She nodded and stepped inside. Fraser detected something was out of place. "What's wrong?"

"It's Caroline," she mumbled. She looked up into Ben's face. "She's gone."

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" I mean- you know- My house was completely destroyed! It was- it was almost upside-down. And it's all my fault."

"Oh, don't say that," Fraser comforted. "Now let's just think for awhile." E.J. nodded. She didn't like her aunt in the least, but it was still a little scary for her to see her home trashed like that. She still wasn't quite sure if she should tell Ben that one of the biggest loan-sharks in the business had been the ones to ravage her tiny house. She decided just to talk about something else.

"Hey, cool dog," she said, pointing to Dief. "Thanks, he's a wolf." Fraser paused. "How did you find me?"

"I saw you come in the building this morning. I just asked the tenant what room number you were." That was partly true; she really only remembered the Mountie hat coming out of the building, and took a risk at asking the tenant if it was the same guy.

"A wolf, huh? I never saw those in pet stores."

"Diefenbaker saved my life awhile back."

"Cool." She stared at the floor. She didn't want to bring up this question, because she felt she had no right to burden such a kind man. But still.... "What should I do?" she said out loud. "I have no where to go." Fraser was no idiot, and knew what she was aiming at.

"I suppose you could stay here," he suggested. "After all, I am close friends with your aunt." E.J. looked at him and smiled.

"Thanks," she said. " Thanks a lot."

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"You sleep on the floor?!" she sqwaked.

"No, not all the time."

"Yeah, but you actually give up your own comfy bed to a wolf!?"

"It's just the polite thing to do, occasionally."

"Whatever..." She looked down at the wolf by her side. He smiled happily.

"Will you please excuse me for a moment? I'm going to brush my teeth," Ben said. E.J. nodded. Give up the bed....to a wolf. Still, she had seen stranger. She looked down at Dief.

"I'll flip you for it," she suggested. Dief barked loudly at her.

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Ben Fraser slept comfortably next to the bed that night. On the floor, on the other side of the same bed, slept E.J. Ramis.

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Part Six

Ray Vecchio and Ben Fraser were driving in the Riv, going to Caroline's house to investigate. Dief, who had been sitting bored in the backseat, found an unusual interest in something on the carpet behind Fraser's chair.

"Benny..."Ray said, trying to get his attention, "Why're you so quiet today? No story of the Inuit to be shared?" Fraser looked up.

"What?" he said, not really listening.

"Never mind."

"Oh, I think this is the neighborhood," Fraser said, and they made a sharp turn. Dief continued watching, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

"Do you hear that?" Fraser asked Ray. Ray's ears perked.

"Yeah, I do hear something." Ray answered. They both listened carefully. It was kind of a squeaky, gasping sound.

"PCHOO!" the carpet exclaimed. Both Fraser and Ray whipped around, only to see a fifteen-year-old girl, crouching behind Fraser with her hands holding her head down. The car came to a quick stop. E.J. slowly looked up, and forced a smile.

"Um....hi?" she said quietly.

"What the hell are you doing in my car?!" Ray demanded, trying not to laugh. It really wasn't that funny, yet......

"My oh my!" E.J. exclaimed, pulling herself onto the backseat. "Look at the time. Must dash." Ray hit the lock on the door, locking E.J.'s door as well.

"Do you always hide in the backseats of people's cars, or is this a first?" Fraser chuckled.

"I just needed a ride, that's all." Ray rolled his eyes and snickered.

"I had no idea it was that hard to ask."

"Well, then is it okay if I ride with you to my neighborhood?"

"No. Get out of my car." E.J. started to turn the handle on the door, but Ray cried, "I'm joking! It's all right, I'd just appreciate it if you'd tell me next time." E.J. nodded and got out of the car. Fraser rolled down the window, and E.J. peered into it. "Why didn't you ask?"

E.J. shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she replied, and started to walk away. "Thanks for the ride!" she called back. Ray and Fraser watched, slightly bewildered.

"Sometimes that girl worries me," Fraser said.

"She downright frightens me," Ray replied.

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Part Seven

"John, come on....why don't you have my money?" The older man said.

"Tony, I'm telling you the truth!" John cried. "The girl still has it." Tony growled at him.

"Then go get it."

"I tried, I swear! She says she doesn't have it. I tried to persuade her, but she hit me." Another man came up behind Tony. He pouted sarcastically.

"I can't believe you got beat up by a little kid!" the man said, pointing to John's fading black eye.

"Hey, shut up!" John yelled at Shawn, shoving him angrily. Shawn shoved him back.

"Hey, hey, HEY!" Tony bellowed, separating the two men with himself. Both John and Shawn stopped dead in their tracks and just glared at each other. "Jordan, c'mere." A third man appeared next to Shawn.

"Yeah?" he grunted.

"I want you and John to find that girl. She's a pest with no money." Tony demanded.

"But Tony, she's just a kid."

Tony's eyes burned through his. "Do you think I care? Huh?! Now go find that rugrat!"

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Part Eight

E.J. put her pen down, folded the note, and placed it on Fraser's kitchen table.

Fraser- I'm sorry that I bothered you, and I hope that you'll forget about me. I wanted to let you know that I'm fine, I just have a lot of stuff that needs to get done. It's just that.....I owe the Black Dragons a lot, evidently. I'll be just fine. Thanks for everything. -E.J.

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