Elisa Hall

Basics
Name: Elisa Hall

Age: Early-thirties

Occupation: Administrative Assistant

Physical Appearance
Ellisa is described as petite - athletic rather than fragile. She has pale skin, brown hair, and blue-grey eyes. She takes pains to be neat and prefers sensible clothes that she can move in while still appearing professional. Her posture and mannerisms are very self-contained and self-effacing - but by training, not nature.

Personality Traits
Elisa's body language is quiet and non-threatening, and she apologizes by reflex. She does not, as a rule, look anyone in the eye, centering her gaze on nose or mouth so that she can be considered neither challenging nor sullen. Her guarded affect hides a compassionate spirit and a bright, analytical intelligence. She's a fast-learner and a careful planner, with an exceptionally well-organized mind. She is more than willing to volunteer or take the initiative on new projects, and rarely allows herself to sit still when she could be busy with work instead. Because of her negative prior experience, she is wary of men and abhors the idea of being indebted to anyone. When alarmed, Elisa tends to freeze. Dogs make her feel safe, but she prefers ones that don't jump or slobber all over her.

Biography
Bright and able, Elisa began her adult life with will and ambition. She worked for a few years after college with a smaller company, then was hired by Corbin Systems. She had every certification necessary to be a Project Manager, and walked in rather overconfident. By then, Joseph Corbin Junior, the heir to the company, was a VP. When he began paying attention to her, Elisa was flattered but resisted his attentions on the grounds that it would be improper. This only encouraged him, however, and he redoubled his efforts to court her. Step-by-step, he led Elisa further into dependence while keeping her too busy and grateful to realize what was happening. He made every request and suggestion seem reasonable, until they were engaged and she had left the company to avoid a conflict of interest. Unable to find another job and kept constantly busy between wedding plans and acting as Corbin's unpaid personal assistant, Elisa found herself asking his opinion of and permission for everything she did from her hair to grocery shopping. Corbin kept close track of her movements and took her everywhere with him, even using her as the biometric key he needed to access his lab. Gradually, Elisa came to understand that his projects were unethical. The first time she questioned him, he flew into a rage, and after that he was on a hair trigger, growing ever more controlling and violent until Elisa was certain that he was going to hit her soon. Her friends and family didn't believe her. The police offered her counseling when she asked them for a restraining order, and recommended counselors who were already employed by Corbin Systems.

It took six months of careful planning and a hundred tiny encouragements, but Elisa finally managed to escape Corbin after five long years. It took her another six months to work her way across the US, from California to Pennsylvania and Hope's Crossing, driven from town to town each time Corbin texted her new number to let her know he'd found her. But her life changed for good when she met Alex Rojas and his daughter, Serena Rojas, in a hospital waiting room at the beginning of Ultimate Courage. Rojas hired her on as Administrative Assistant to Hope's Crossing Kennels. Elisa's ex was no match for the three retired military men of Hope's Crossing, and Elisa eventually moved in with Rojas, Serena, and the German Shepherd Dog, Souze.

Relationships
The only specific mention of Elisa's family is her mother, Mary Hall, who loves her daughter but refuses to believe that she's being abused by her ex-fiancee, Corbin. In fact, none of Elisa's former friends believed her either. Julie is the only one who looks for her, and even that is only out of a desire to impress Corbin, not out of concern for Elisa herself. However, Elisa quickly makes new friends in Hope's Crossing. Brandon Forte and David Cruz both like her and readily accept her into the fold - especially after her first day on the job practically revolutionizes their client registration process. Sophie Kim and Evelyn Jones are also quick to befriend her and plot a girls' night out. Gary Boulding and his husband, Greg Boulding, are quick to reach out to Elisa and not only allow her to use the spare room over Revolution Mixed Martial Arts Academy, but also take it upon themselves to comfort and tease her out of shock when she needs it. But Elisa's closest bonds are with Serena and Rojas, as she becomes part of their family with Souze's help.

Trivia
Elisa...
 * sings nursery rhymes to herself to combat anxiety.
 * likes strawberries and graham crackers on plain frozen yogurt.
 * replays and dissects the events of the day in her head instead of counting sheep to go to sleep.
 * enjoys crafts, especially scrap-booking and homemade scrubs/bath salts.
 * has a knack with quick, simple sewing operations.
 * is a particular sucker for a man with a lop-sided grin.
 * likes imagining Rojas in uniform. Any uniform.

Quotes
"I try to thank the kind people I meet."

"I do not need help getting my shirt off."

"We all make stupid decisions. So even when we start to try to make smart ones, we're not really sure they're the right decisions while we're making them."

"It was important for him to trust her. Because it mattered more than she had words to explain."