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the_death_cardTitle: 5 Times Jack's Social Worker Worried About Him - and One Time She Didn't
Rating: PG
I. Zachary Wilder is a scared kid sitting hunched in a chair in her office. He's been one of her hardest cases, and for one of the few times, it's really not his fault. The system had failed him before she took over as his caseworker after his previous one retired, and then luck had failed him when a placement had ended with his foster having a heart attack.
Madeline sighs and sets aside his folder. "It'll be okay," she tells him, and he sniffs and nods like he believes her. She wishes she actually thought he did.
II. Zachary Wilder is a hurt kid huddled over his arm in that same chair. Madeline is so mad she can't see straight, but it has nothing to do with him. How the asshole had slipped through the cracks, she doesn't know, but she swears it's never going to happen again.
She swallows her anger and sets aside the folder. "I'm sorry," she says again, and he shakes his head. She wishes she knew whether it means an acceptance or dismissal.
III. Jack Wilder is a surly teenager slumped in a chair in her office. She's starting to despair of him, if she's being honest, though she does her best to keep him from knowing that. She's just not making any progress with him, and she's afraid he's as close to giving up as she is.
"I need you to keep trying," she tells him, and he just shrugs, and she sighs as she closes his folder.
IV. Jack Wilder is a startled teenager in the front room of the group home. She's never seen him look like that, and for a moment, she worries - but all of Agent Rhodes's paperwork is in order, and she's had good luck with law enforcement as fosters, especially with cases like Jack's. Still, she makes a mental note to keep an eye on things as the boy shoulders past her.
"Call if you need anything," she tells his back and gets a disgusted noise in response.
V. Jack Wilder is angry, and she realizes she's never seen that in him before. They've both called Agent Rhodes multiple times with no answer, and she has no choice but to go on with the meeting without him. It's a surprise considering how well they've been doing up to this point, and it worries her that things might be changing for the worse, but it's also stoked a fire in Jack. He obviously cares this time when he's just always been resigned before, and she keeps his folder on her desk after he leaves.
Agent Rhodes calls later with an apology - and then he's in the hospital and treatment for alcohol addiction, and she prepares herself for the worst.
VI. Jack Wilder is bright and smiling, and it's startling every time he comes into her office these days. His grades are up, his appearance is better, and it's such a change that part of her worries that it's too good to be true. She's more relieved, though, that Jack's finally found his place, and she can't get to the paperwork fast enough when Agent Rhodes comes in to ask about making the placement more formal.
She also knows she's going to have to pack tissues when they go for the hearing to finalize everything. She just knows she's going to cry.
Rating: PG
I. Zachary Wilder is a scared kid sitting hunched in a chair in her office. He's been one of her hardest cases, and for one of the few times, it's really not his fault. The system had failed him before she took over as his caseworker after his previous one retired, and then luck had failed him when a placement had ended with his foster having a heart attack.
Madeline sighs and sets aside his folder. "It'll be okay," she tells him, and he sniffs and nods like he believes her. She wishes she actually thought he did.
II. Zachary Wilder is a hurt kid huddled over his arm in that same chair. Madeline is so mad she can't see straight, but it has nothing to do with him. How the asshole had slipped through the cracks, she doesn't know, but she swears it's never going to happen again.
She swallows her anger and sets aside the folder. "I'm sorry," she says again, and he shakes his head. She wishes she knew whether it means an acceptance or dismissal.
III. Jack Wilder is a surly teenager slumped in a chair in her office. She's starting to despair of him, if she's being honest, though she does her best to keep him from knowing that. She's just not making any progress with him, and she's afraid he's as close to giving up as she is.
"I need you to keep trying," she tells him, and he just shrugs, and she sighs as she closes his folder.
IV. Jack Wilder is a startled teenager in the front room of the group home. She's never seen him look like that, and for a moment, she worries - but all of Agent Rhodes's paperwork is in order, and she's had good luck with law enforcement as fosters, especially with cases like Jack's. Still, she makes a mental note to keep an eye on things as the boy shoulders past her.
"Call if you need anything," she tells his back and gets a disgusted noise in response.
V. Jack Wilder is angry, and she realizes she's never seen that in him before. They've both called Agent Rhodes multiple times with no answer, and she has no choice but to go on with the meeting without him. It's a surprise considering how well they've been doing up to this point, and it worries her that things might be changing for the worse, but it's also stoked a fire in Jack. He obviously cares this time when he's just always been resigned before, and she keeps his folder on her desk after he leaves.
Agent Rhodes calls later with an apology - and then he's in the hospital and treatment for alcohol addiction, and she prepares herself for the worst.
VI. Jack Wilder is bright and smiling, and it's startling every time he comes into her office these days. His grades are up, his appearance is better, and it's such a change that part of her worries that it's too good to be true. She's more relieved, though, that Jack's finally found his place, and she can't get to the paperwork fast enough when Agent Rhodes comes in to ask about making the placement more formal.
She also knows she's going to have to pack tissues when they go for the hearing to finalize everything. She just knows she's going to cry.
