Hello Dear Readers,

Here is a trial Chapter and I hope you like it.

While writing this I realized I have named the guy Gary Nelson, obviously no relation to Gary Clark. I don't know why I named him Gary but I did back in Chapter 2 or 3 of well...

Disclaimer is found in Chapter one

Happy Reading!

A little note: I hope you realize that this chapter happens in the course of days since a trial does not last just 3 days you know.


"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to help you god?"

"I do."

"Please tell the jury who you are and what do you do," the prosecutor instructed.

"My name is Dr. Own Hunt. I am the Chief of Surgery and Head of Trauma at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital," he stated.

"Can you tell us what happened the night they brought the victim April Kepner?" The lawyer prompted.

"We got a call at 3:38AM that trauma would come in, someone called 911 for a young girl that was found. We didn't know it was Dr. April Kepner until the ambulance arrived," Owen answered. "She was surprisingly conscious—"

"Sorry to interrupt, but surprisingly how?"

"Usually women who have suffered the trauma would not be as awake and responsive as she was," Owen explained.

"So, she was in bad shape," the lawyer kept asking, as he helped paint a picture with the doctor of what happened that night.

"That is an understatement. April came in with two black eyes that were swollen shut, bruised cheekbones to the bone, and her lips were split. Her face also had cuts that resulted from the harsh impact. Moving down, her neck and shoulder had minor bruising all along the area. She had two broken ribs that had punctured her lung and blood was filling it up. There was also internal bleeding in the abdominal area, along with bruising on the inner parts of the thigh," Doctor Hunt added, his attention focused on the jury.

"How did you go on to repair the damages?"

"We took her up to surgery to take care of the internal bleeding in which April flat lined for a couple of seconds before we could get her back on the OR table."

"Can you explain to the jury what it is when you flat line?" the prosecutor urged on.

"It's when the heart stops beating. In this case she was losing a lot of blood and her blood pressure dropped so much her heart stopped beating. Thankfully, we got the bleeding under control and we were able to restore a heartbeat" Owen replied, taking note of the expression on the jury members' faces. He was proud to say that they were seeing what they wanted them to see.

"No further questions your honor," the prosecutor said with a curt nod before taking his place next to April.

"Does the defendant have any questions for the witness?" the judge asked.

"Yes, your honor." The defendant then stood up and walked towards the middle of the room "Tell me, Dr. Hunt. What is your relation to the victim?"

"She works at the hospital as a trauma surgeon, so I work very closely with her," Owen responded.

"And you are her mentor, am I right?" The defendant asked again.

"Objection your honor," the prosecutor called.

"On what grounds?" The judge asked

"Relevance, your honor."

"There is a point to the restatement, your honor" the defendant stated.

"Then get to it," said the judge and then looked at Owen "Go on and answer the question."

"Yes, you can consider me April's mentor."

"So, you were very impacted by the way she looked when she came into the ER? I understand there is a reason why they don't let doctors work on family members that is because they are emotionally compromised. Would you say that, based on what you remember, the bruises and her emotional state left you compromised and unable to do your job as a surgeon? As you said, you're the one who took to teaching Ms. Kepner."

"The proof is there," Owen said evenly, annoyed at the lawyer's accusation.

"Proof? They never took any X-rays or scans. She was rushed to surgery because you decided that she didn't have time to make it if you didn't get to it. So what proof do you speak of?"

"The other doctors that worked on her can testify—"

"The other doctors that have also been mentors and peers to her, doctors who are also emotionally compromised…No further questions, your honor." With that, the defendant sat back down, face expressionless.

"Permission to redirect, your honor," said the prosecutor.

"I'll allow it."

"Dr. Hunt, can you explain to the jury why you took the decision to send her to surgery and not proceed on getting scans before taking her into the operating room?" asked the prosecutor.

"Because we had a window that we needed to take to save her. Even then, we cut it close seeing as her heart stopped on the table," he answered, happy that at least someone was willing to hear the truth. On that alone, Owen Hunt could leave the stand satisfied.


"Are they allowed to do that? Twist our accounts?" Jackson said knowing the answer since they were lawyers. "This is not about stealing or vandalism. Someone actually got hurt, I just… " Jackson's nostrils flared as he took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead.

"Jackson, it's fine. We knew it was not going to be easy," April said patting his chest an offering him an understanding smile. All Jackson could do was pick her hand from his chest and give it a light kiss.

"Dr. Kepner," the lawyer called as he approached the supporting crowd with Dr. Hunt "I warned you that things would be twisted but I will do my very best to set them straight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take care of something. See you guys in there." And with that, the suited man walked away.

"April, I'm sorry about what happened up there," Owen apologized feeling somewhat guilty for the defendant to be able to twist things the way he did.

"It's alright, Chief Hunt. They can twist what they want but the truth is the truth and facts are facts. I have faith that things will work out the way she should." The words of encouragement used on her superior, she hoped would do just as much for her own nerves. She didn't want to appear frantic at the idea that she couldn't control what was being said. But she could control herself, the things she said, and her own actions, so that's what she will focus on the things she can control. Rape is never about sex, it's about control, and she needed to have hers, find hers, no matter where it happened to be buried at times.

"April," Jackson said snapping her out of her own thoughts "You okay?" he said reaching to touch her shoulder but she took a step back. There were some good days and bad days but he didn't have to ask where this one fell, even without brushing her like he'd just done. He knew not to take her actions personally, but they still managed to sting a little. In an attempt to ignore what had just happened, Jackson cleared his throat. "Why don't we get something to eat really fast?" he asked and she nodded in returned.


Jackson had been staring at his girlfriend sitting down at the table for a while. He was supposed to be watching a game but he could not ignore April as she kept dipping the tea bag into her cup of tea for about thirty minutes now. It would not be a surprise if the tea was already cold. Jackson turned off the T.V. and went to sit across from her "Hey," he said softly but she remained the silent and still, practically frozen, all but the tea bag bobbing in ice cold water. "April," he firmly called out to her which prompted eye contact.

"Oh sorry…" She said whispered, sending him a small smile "I thought you were watching the game," she mused, sitting up as she pulled the tea mug towards her.

"I was, but watching you play with your tea was so much more interesting," he joked gaining a chuckle from her which made him smile. "Are you worried about tomorrow?" he asked. An immediate sigh fell from her lips which answered his question without words. "Look April. You don't have to go on the stand if you don't feel ready."

"I know," she said, her voice soft and distant. Her reached for her hand and squeezed it, making her feel warm; inviting any other feeling that didn't involve worry or fear. "You'll be there, right?" She said placing a hand over his holding hers. He went ahead and placed his other hand on top of that.

"Do you have to ask? Unless you don't want me there." He would hate not being there. Jackson would understand if she didn't want him to know every detail of what happened that night but he wanted to be there for her.

"No! I mean yes, I want you to be there," she explained hastily "I wouldn't be able to do it if you weren't there. You are kind of my rock," she smiled weakly. "How crazy is it that I haven't told my parents? It would break their hearts to know that the worst thing that you can do to a woman was done to me."

"I still think you should tell them, April. I love that you trust me, and that I am your rock but they are your family. They would want to be here for you and go through this with you—"

"That's just it, Jackson. I don't want them to go through it. This isn't hard, med school was hard, intern year was hard. This is excruciating!" she cried, her voice breaking at the end as it got louder. Looking at his expression she regretted shouting at him, the frustration was not towards him "I-I'm sorry, Jackson."

"I know, I know…" He took a deep breath, trying to be patient for her.

"I don't want them to know how it happened. It will haunt them like it haunts me… I will tell them when this trial is over, and when they know that the man who did this is paying for it. That's when they'll know. When I get justice so they feel like they did too," she assured him.

"Alright," he said, not liking the answer but accepting it. "It's a big day tomorrow, we should go to bed," he suggested.

"But my tea," she protested pulling her hands away and reaching for the cup that no longer felt warm "It's cold" she thought out loud.

"You're surprised?" Jackson could not help but let out at small laugh at the disappointment in her face over a cold cup of tea.

April joined him in laughter and shook her head "I guess not," she said simply and stood up "Let's go to bed," she said extending out her hand.

"Yeah, let's go" He took her hand and followed her to the bedroom.


"I call April Kepner to the stand," said the prosecutor, her lawyer who sent her a reassuring smile as she stood up and made her way towards the stand.

April tried to ignore the eyes of the jury. Eyes that looked at her and tried to see what she saw and what she felt. Eyes that were judging her, good or bad, it was still happening. Eyes that made her feel naked, that made her want to run but they had to know what was done to her. Her life was in their hands.

"April Kepner, please raise your right hand." April did as it was told "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

"I do" she stated and sat down. She looked on to the room and noticed every eye on her. But she tried not to look at anyone. She tried to keep her eyes on the empty wooden walls that weren't staring back at her.

"April Kepner, can you please point out to the jury your attacker?" Her lawyer asked.

April eyes went over to Gary Nelson. She realized it was the first time she had actually looked at him since that night. She didn't realize 'till now how she has been avoiding his face. She felt herself grow as still and cold as stone. She was unable to move, unable to speak, she was petrified in fear.

"April," The lawyer called out to her.

She had a rude awaking from her thoughts, as she harshly gasped, desperate to remember how to breathe. Her hand fell upon her chest and her gaze on her lap. The room was still as they watched her fall apart on the stand, the harsh breaths she took pierced everyone's ears with the pain and anguish she was feeling.

Jackson was at the edge of his seat, wanting to stand up and just take her from the court room and whisk away to the quiet safety of his home. He was moments from executing what he thought to be a genius plan when Meredith put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know this is hard to watch," she whispered to him, "but you can't just go up there, let her lawyer handle it."

"Your honor, I request a short recess," the prosecutor inquired.

"No…" April protested looking up and wiping away her tears. "I'm okay"

"Are you sure?" the judge asked.

"Yes, I can keep going," she insisted "My attacker is right there," April said pointing at Gary and trying to ignore the urge to vomit at the sight of his face.

"Thank you, April. Now, can you please tell us what happened the night of the attack? Make us understand what it was that you went through," Her lawyer asked kindly.

April took a deep breath, a slow breath, as if a few seconds of delaying her telling everyone what happened would make a difference. "I was coming home from a Gala that the hospital was hosting. It must have been a little over two in the morning when I stood in front of my building trying to get my door open. I just got dropped off at the front door. My colleague and I shared a cab. I saw Gary stumbling and falling on top of some garbage cans that were in the alley. As a doctor, I am programmed to help people, so I didn't hesitate in going over there making sure he was alright. I helped him stand up and asked him if he was okay, and he answered yes. When I realized that he was okay, I tried to leave but he grabbed my arm and asked me to stay. I told him it was time for me to get home and that he should too. That's when he…" April paused for a minute gaining composure before continuing "That's when he threw his first punch, aimed at my face. I lost balance and he caught me before falling and dragged me deeper into the alley. I was trying to get a hold of the small bottle of pepper spray that was on my key chain but it fell and… and I knew I was in trouble." She didn't realize she had started crying until the lawyer handed her a tissue. "He pinned me on the floor. I remember how cold and wet it was but also how harsh it felt and how much it hurt when he leaned on me and pushed me against it. I tried to fight him off; scratching his face and pushing his chest but nothing work. He then held both of my hands over my head and undid the straps of the dress that were tied around my neck and pulled down the top of it revealing my … revealing my breast. I begged him to stop. I kept saying please, please but he wouldn't stop. I then felt his hand on me, on my breast, he was… he was touching them and making noises and pushing himself between my legs and I kept saying please, please but he wouldn't stop… He pulled his hand away and I was so grateful for it but then I felt him pulling up my dress and I was wishing that he would have stayed where he was. His free hand was…" April stopped closing her eyes and taking another breath. "His free hand started undoing his pants. I didn't look but I heard his belt buckle and his zipper opening. I was thinking, trying to process how any of this could not be real, how it couldn't be happening. but I realized as much when I felt this acute pain between my legs, and that's when it hit me that he had forced himself inside." April felt shame, felt naked as she heard the room react. Her eyes fell on Jackson and she could see the pity and the pain that his eyes gave out. She wished she would have told him not to come. This was how he was going to look at her now. This was how all of them were going to look at her. "I uh… I don't know how long it lasted, but it felt like forever. I tried to focus my eyes on the sky. I tried to look for stars, which is really hard in the city. I tried so hard to not think about what was happening but I still remember how everything felt. How his hot breath felt on my neck, how much it reeked of alcohol. How every time he tried to kiss me, I would pull away. He would thrust harder and faster. He put his mouth over my ear when he was done as if he wanted me to hear that he was."

April was now shaking in her seat. She didn't think that everything would replay so vividly, that everything would come rushing back and that her body would recall how it felt that night. But she had to keep going or else all this would have been for nothing. "When he was done and he got off of me I instantly sat up and pulled off my dress trying to cover myself. I was about to run off but he kicked me into the ground. He said "This is it for you, babe," before he went for my face. I try to block out everything he threw at me but I couldn't and the longer it lasted, the more I wasn't able to fight him off. After a while, I just didn't move. My body just stayed still even when I was telling it to move. That was he stopped to look at me. He kicked me one more time as if to make sure I was dead and he walked away. I didn't see him leave. I stayed still with my eyes close for a while, afraid that he was still there and he would do everything all over again. I dared to open my eyes and I saw someone walking by. I screamed so loud I thought my vocal chords were going to burst and I didn't stop even when they had come to me, even when they called 911 and I knew help was coming. I couldn't stop screaming and I can still hear myself screaming and I can still hear him almost every night…" At this point April was sobbing and unable to form words. She looked down to her lap and covered her face wanting everything to stop. She wanted everything to stop and she wanted to die, just like she did that night.

Her lawyer walked up to her with a bottle of water "Thank you April, I know this must be difficult for you," he said handing her the water and then facing the jury "Let the jury take note on the obviously traumatized woman," he then turned to the judge "No further questions, your honor" .

"I have a few," said the defendant as she stood up, April's eyes watching her carefully. "If I may?"

The judge looked at April for an answer and she simple nodded "You may."

"I am very sorry, April for having to elongate this further but I will try to be quick. On the night of the incident, you said you were coming from a Gala. is that correct?"

"Yes."

"A party were there was alcohol involved. According to a blood test that was done, your alcohol level was high and this was hours after the party was reported over, which means it was higher the moment it happened."

"Objection," the prosecutor said.

"On what grounds?" the judge asked

"That was not a question. My client would like to leave and have time to put herself together."

"I can rephrase. April, were you or were you not intoxicated the night of the incident?"

"Yes but—"

"And as a doctor, wouldn't you say that alcohol affects your cognitive function?"

"Objection!" said her lawyer standing up this time "My client is not an expert witness."

"Yes, but she is a doctor and has the qualifications to answer the question," The defendant argued.

"I'll allow it. Dr. Kepner, please answer the question."

"Yes, alcohol can affect your cognitive functions and memory as well," she supplied.

"So with your high level of intoxication, could it be that you remember the night differently than how it actually happened?" the defendant asked.

"It's possible…"April said in a small voice knowing where this was going.

"And in your recalling of the events that could be questionable due to your level of intoxication, you kept saying that you begged him to stop, did you actually tell him to stop? You kept saying please, please and begging. Couldn't it have been that perhaps my client thought that you were saying that in the heat of the moment? Could he had thought that you begged him not to stop but to keep going?" The defendant overwhelmed her with the weight of the questions.

"Are you kidding me?!" Jackson stood up in rage not believing the lawyer was actually asking April that.

"I suggest you sit down or I will throw you out of the room, or worse hold you in contempt," the judge said sternly.

Jackson swallowed hard and took a deep breath. He was shaking and all he wanted to do was punch something, punch someone and that it was that fucktard of a lawyer "Son of a bitch," he said lowly.

"You can say that again" said Alex that sat next to him, just as enraged as Jackson was. This whole thing hit too close to home, and April was just one of those people that was better off not knowing how fucking unfair life could be.

"No further questions, your honor" the defendant said as he took a seat.

"You may step down, Dr. Kepner."

"Can I say something?" April politely asked the judge.

"Go ahead," the judge said, giving her permission.

"That night, I was not just raped physically. Gary Nelson took something from me. He took away my choice, my voice, my control… He took my peace of mind, and a part of me that I will never get back. He didn't just force himself inside of me, or beat me up. My body will heal but I don't know if my spirit ever will. I can't sleep without the lights on and I can't take a shower without someone standing outside my door guarding it and talking to me so I know that they are still there. My heart stops every time I leave the hospital at night, or the house. I may never be able to do what I love which is to help people, and I may never be able to let myself be loved by someone ever. He didn't just rape me. Gary Nelson took everything from me and I need you to know that," April pleaded her case to the jury, and with by their looks she knew that they understood that she would never be the same; a concept she was too afraid to admit.

"If you are done, , you may step down. And I am very sorry for what you went through."

April couldn't leave the stand fast enough as she took a seat next to her lawyer who went to pat her on the back before she quickly squirmed away.


"I'm so glad the bastard was convicted of rape and attempted murder," Alex said as they all exited the court house. "You are never going to see him again, April. You can breathe easy now," he told her, offering a rare kind smile. Smiles at all were few and far between for him, but he was genuinely happy with the outcome.

"Thank you, Alex" she said mirroring his smile "But the sounds a lot easier than it is."

"I spent a while in OB/GYN during rotation, I can couch you on the breathing" he teased her "but hey, really I know I am not good with all the talking crap but we're friends or whatever so you can talk to me if you need to…Just keep it short."

April could not hold back a laugh as Alex tried to be a good friend. Who knew Alex Karev could be so cute "I'll keep that in mind."

"Avery… Take care of her" Alex said, the few words he offered sounding more like an order than anything "I'll see you guys later. I need to get back to the hospital. If there's any sort of celebration, count me in." and with that he was gone.

Jackson walked down the steps hand in hand with April as they headed towards his car and waved goodbye to their friends "What do you want to do now?"

"Sleep," she said and elaborated as she noticed the confusion on his face "I want to sleep knowing that he isn't coming to get me anymore."

Jackson smiled at her proudly. "We can do that, but can we get some food? You know you sleep better with your stomach full."

"Actually, you only feel like that because the food that you eat is very processed and your body needs to shut down to digest it" April corrected him.

"Okay then let's get some processed food so our bodies can shut down," he said rolling his eyes at her. Of course she would say something like that. "So…Where to?" Jackson asked her.

"That Mexican place you love so much. They are greasy enough," April said hopping into the passenger seat.

"As you wish," he teased, walking over to the other side and driving away thinking about how things might finally start to looking up. Maybe


Thank you for reading!

Please review and let me know what you think.

Shit will hit the fan next chapter, and you should look forward to:

Gary Nelson making an appearance

Alex Karev being an excellent friend to April.

A fight physical and verbal

April's parents

Stay Tuned