"Rory, sweetie, are you sure you want to do this?" Lisa repeated softly. Rory nodded again, brushing back a stray brown hair from her fresh haircut.

"I'm sure," she replied. "I need to get over this. And this is the only method I can think of. Are you sure you..."

"Yes," Lisa interjected loudly. She was afraid if she didn't then she herself would chicken out. "I need to. I mean, I need..."

"It's okay," Rory smiled weakly. "I understand."

Lisa took a breath and Rory gently placed a hand in hers. Sharing a sympathetic smile, the two girls entered the jail.

The trial results had been quick and obvious. Jess and Jackson had been sent to the state high-security prison and convicted, assault, battery, and kidnapping being the worst of the offences. Lisa still had her nightmares from the whole ordeal, but she knew it had affected Rory even more so than herself. The young girl never complained or spoke about what had happened after the initial wake, but Lisa could tell by the tired, drained expression her face wore now 24/7 that she was scarred. Jess had betrayed everything she had ever given him, and used that against her to meet his own selfish needs. He had, in all of his essence, turned into a miniature Jackson Rippner.

Lisa, of course, was still beyond furious and hurt over what the above named had done to her, but she was rapidly growing used to it. First her rape and then being preyed upon by Jackson twice...a girl couldn't help but develop a shield.

Well, at least Rory had Dean to help her, unlike Lisa had before. Dean's sweet, caring, and understanding manner helped Rory recuperate much faster than she would without him. And Lisa, too, with Max to comfort her and stay up with her when Jackson dominated her dreams...things were much easier.

Another guard appeared to guide Rory to Jess's cell. Lisa mentally wished her good luck one more time before following her own guide to see her own little piece of hell.

Jackson was asleep, his head roughly positioned on the pillow on his bunk.

"Hold on," the guard told Lisa roughly. Within moments, she was being led to a room to talk to Jackson.

"You want to talk between the glass?" he asked her, his voice dispatching no emotion. Lisa thought.

"No," she finally replied. "There's not much he can do to me that hasn't been done." She let the bitterness in her voice hold out, but she wouldn't let herself be intimidated by Jack. She knew if Max found out the risk she was taking he'd be furious, but by proving to Jackson that she wasn't scared of him, it gave her a certain strength.

"Fifteen minutes." The guard thrust Jackson into the room and was instantly gone. Jackson shot a contemptuous smirk at his back as he left the small room.

"How's it going, Leese?" Jackson tilted back in his chair. "Listen, I realize that you're lust and longing for me is the factor that requires you to dream about me and come visit me, but you should know that...I just don't feel the same way. I'm sorry."

"Shut up, Jackson," Lisa snapped, already feeling her temper rise. "This isn't about you. I came to see you to talk. Not to have a discussion. There's just some stuff I need to get off my chest."

"Well, I'm pleased to be your shrink, Leese," Jackson replied smugly.

Lisa glared at him, but otherwise ignored his snappy retort. "First things first, and you should know this...I hate you. Okay? I hate you. You ruined my life not once, but twice. And then you dragged Rory into it, which made things so much worse, because she's so, so young. So there's that. I just wanted to let you know how much of an ass you are."

"Yeah, well, I'm proud. Anything else?"

"Yeah. I want to know if this is the end."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to talk."

"Well..." Lisa scowled. "Dammit, Rippner, why are you so objective?"

"My talent."

"Answer the fucking question, Jack."

"Okay, okay," he held up his hands. "I could tell you yes, but you wouldn't believe me, right?"

"Probably not."

"And I could tell you no, but you'd probably think I was doing it to annoy you, right?"

Lisa shifted. "I guess."

"So either answer I pick, I'm screwed, right?"

"Why don't you just tell the truth?" Lisa replied icily. "Since you're so prodigal at that."

He grinned. "That I am." Then he straightened the fabric of his bright orange prison uniform. Lisa had to admit that it didn't become him. "The truth is this: I don't really know whether or not I'm done screwing with you yet. You are just way too much fun."

Lisa froze, the small size of the room suddenly dawning on her. "What?"

"You heard me. Happy?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, you asked."

Lisa stood, abruptly knocking over her chair.

"Stay away from me, Jackson," Lisa snarled, fumbling with her purse. He rose and her heart beat faster. "Max will-"

"Oh, what will Max do?" Jackson purred. "Slam me with a dictionary?"

Lisa glared at him and reached for the door handle. He brushed her hand away from it. She felt the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Jackson grabbed her wrist and she struggled to pull it away. She wanted to yell, to cry out for the guard, but she couldn't. Her voice was clogged in her throat.

"Now, Leese," Jackson brushed her neck gently with her hand. She felt tears brimming in her eyes. "We'll talk again soon, hm? Just me and you. We'll leave the geeky boyfriend out of it."

Lisa finally found the strength to push past him. She rammed the door open and took off down the hall, wide hot tears finally falling. No. Not again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rory tapped lightly on the table with her hand. She'd requested to speak to Jess face to face, not behind the glass. He'd never physically hurt her before, there was no precaution that needed taking now.

He was ushered in, then the guard lightly shut the door behind him. Jess looked up behind his thick hair, his eyes showing shock and then amusement. He flipped his hair and slid into the chair.

"Hey, Ror," he greeted as if they were old friends. "How are things?"

"What do you think?"

"I think things are peachy. Just peachy." Damn. He'd been talking to Jackson.

"Is Liz going to bail you out?" Rory snapped.

"Why? Will you if she won't?" his voice dripped thick with sarcasm. She glared at him.

"No," she replied angrily. "I was just wondering. You've been in here a long time. I was curious if Liz Danes had the gullibility to bail her ungrateful little brat out of prison."

"She is," Jess nodded, rolling his eyes. "She's working up the money. If you haven't guessed, its quite a lot. Thanks, by the way."

"Oh, what, for tattling on you?" Rory replied vehemously. "Oh, boohoo, Jess. Get over it. You kidnapped me, you moron. And used a lot of hideous methods to get me to concede along the way."

"You know what I think?" he snarled. "I think you're over exaggerating, pulling all this Flash Gordon peace for all crap."

"It's in the Declaration of Human Rights, Jess," Rory snapped, furrowing into her encyclopedic knowledge. Worse comes to worse, confuse him. "No body shall be forced into matrimony or association against their will."

"No, you're miswording it," Jess replied smugly. "It goes quite clearly:

'Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.' Now, you consented, if I do clear remember."

"Only because Jackson said he would blow up my dorm otherwise," Rory argued. "Its still not legit."

"Ok, Rory," Jess nodded. "Whatever you say." But Rory could tell he was thinking otherwise.

"Listen, after the trial, just leave me alone," she demanded. "And tell Jackson to stay the hell away from Lisa."

"First of all, my, haven't we gotten a potty mouth," Jess marveled. "Second of all, its not my business what Jackson does."

"Well, you've obviously been talking to him!"

"What gives you that idea?" but he said it sarcastically. Rory wanted to slap him.

"Just stay away from us." She turned to leave, her hand gripping the doorknob, but Jess stood.

"Well, you thought right," he said quietly. "We have been talking. About you. And about Lisa. He misses her, you know."

"Good for him," Rory snarled. Jess blocked her path.

"And I've missed you."

"You know, Jess, get over it. You had your chance once, and you left. You screwed yourself over and guess what? I'm not interested. You hear me? You're dead to me."

His face flooded. "Fine. But Jackson still isn't satisfied and won't ever be. He's a lot more dangerous than me. And he'll be back for Lisa. Mark my words. And if I get out of here..."

Rory bolted before he could finish. Because she knew what he would say. And the answer...the answer was much less than desirable.