Nora lay in bed and tried to block out what happened after the Judge made her statement. Nora didn't want to think for a second that she might have been wrong. But her mind kept drifting to that moment when in the midst of Todd, Zack, and Powell being congratulated and embraced by their respective families she saw Todd looking at Marty. He had the smuggest most disgusting smirk on his face. At first Nora didn't realize what he was looking at or why he had that particular expression on his face. But he did and even if he was looking at Marty that way, that would have been okay. The look could have meant you thought you could lie about us and pull this off didn't you, but I won and showed you didn't I. Except when Nora followed Todd's eyes to Marty, the look on her face was one of complete terror. For a second Nora thought the girl might actually die from fright. And looking back at Todd's smug face Nora for the first time got the feeling that she had done something terribly wrong. Nora again tried to dismiss those thoughts, but when she did they were replaced with Marty's heart wrenching testimony about the rape.

Luna knocked on Marty's door the following day. She hadn't been at the trial when the judge gave the verdict. For the first time in Luna's life she couldn't find the bright side to such a terrible outcome.

"How's she doing, Suede?" Luna asked.

"She hasn't been down yet this morning." Suede said and then looked toward the staircase. "I stayed here all last night, handling the calls from the press. She was so quiet yesterday. I could hardly get a yes or no out of her."

"Oh Goddess. Well, I'm going to go up and talk to her okay."

"If anybody can make her feel better, it's you Luna." Suede said.

Marty turned her tear soaked pillow to its drier side. She then glanced at the clock and could hardly believe it was already 11am. It didn't matter though. Marty planned on never getting out of her bed again. She would stay there until she wasted away from starvation. And then Todd really would win. So what? Hadn't he already? They used her body for their personal pleasure and Todd was right when he said no one would believe her or care. And now it was over. But was it. Didn't he also say he'd be back and make her pay for telling in the first place. That last thought chilled Marty and she soon began to tremble again which then gave way to a wrath of tears.

Powell walked into Wanda's restaurant. He wasn't really hungry, but he couldn't sit and do nothing at Llanfair all day. He sensed the tension of his family there. Kevin had made it perfectly clear that he knew he was guilty and that the sight of him disgusted him. He only sensed that Vicky felt the same way. Yesterday was filled with hearty congratulations from his friends. But he remembered the shallow congratulations from his family the most.

"Hey Powell, come sit over here." Zack called.

Powell walked slowly to the table where Todd and Zack were and sat down.

"Man, what happened to you? Did you go to another party after the blow out we had last night."? Todd asked.

Despite Powell's perfectly ironed and creased outfit and every strand of hair perfectly in place. The boy still looked as though he had a rough night. His eyes were swollen and red. His face still contained a shadow of a beard.

"I'm fine." Powell said curtly.

"Whatever." Todd said and got up. "I'm going to the little boy's room." He added and then strutted off.

"So, what's wrong, Powell?" Zack turned to him and asked.

Powell looked at Zack and debated whether or not he should tell him what was bothering him. He knew for sure he couldn't confide in Todd, but maybe Zack was different. Maybe just between the two of them, Zack would really listen and maybe he also felt the same way.

"I haven't been getting much sleep." Powell finally said.

"Why, man? Now that this nightmare is over, I'd figure we'd all sleep like babies." Zack said.

"You really think it's over. I mean sometimes at night, I don't know, it's like when I close my eyes I see Marty crying and when I wake up I can still hear her screaming. I just can't get it out of my head. Does that happen to you?"

Zack stared at Powell and for a second it looked to Powell as though his eyes softened. Zack finally burst into laughter.

"Are you serious, Powell? What happened with Marty is no big deal. You need to lighten up. We're free, man. Todd said we'd get away with it and we did. Cheer up, man. Look it just probably hasn't sunk in for you yet that it's over. That's what those nightmares are about. But it's over, man. So just relax. And if I were you, I wouldn't go and tell Todd about your little dreams. Okay."

Powell knew it was no use pressing the issue. Todd and Zack were the same.

"You're right, Zack. Look I gotta go." Powell said quickly and then got up.

"Alright. Later man." Zack said.

"Marty, honey." Luna said as she knocked and eased open the door gently. "Mind if I come in, sugar."

Marty sat up and shook her head.

Luna walked in and sat next to Marty on the bed. She took one of her hands before she spoke. "I know things look really bleak right now." Marty nodded and looked down. "I wish I had some magic words of advice to give you comfort and make you feel all better, but sweetheart, with certain things there are no such words. But I am here for you and I can offer you my support and empathy." Luna said.

"I know Luna." Marty said softly.

"Come here sugar." Luna said.

Marty began to cry as she went into Luna's arms. "I'm sorry I'm not brave like you." She said a few moments later.

"Oh honey don't think I didn't go through the same thing you are. When those men from the Klan attacked me all those years ago, believe me I was a mess afterwards. And I wanted justice, but like you, none came. And I had to learn to live with that. It hurt, and it took a long time, but I was able to move on."

"I see that, and it means so much to see how far you've come Luna. But I don't think I can do it." Marty's eyes filled up again.

"Sugar, you are stronger than you know. And because of that, I know for a fact that you goin get through this. Don't you worry."

Todd sat in his car and wondered if he should drive by Marty's tonight. The trial was over, and he was free, but still... He wasn't going to let Marty get off that easy. Oh no, he was going to make her pay for putting him through the investigation and the trial. She would pay, and he was going to love every minute of it.

One month later, Powell awoke suddenly, dripping with sweat. The sound of Marty's screaming was still echoing in his head. He looked at his clock. It was 4:45am. He slowly got out of bed knowing sleep was a lost cause. He slid on his jeans and went for a walk. As he walked down the driveway, he wondered when this pattern would end, and he'd be able stop the midnight walks and sleep through the nights.