Chapter 20

"Maureen?" Joanne called out when she walked into the apartment.

"In here." Maureen quietly answered.

Joanne followed her voice into the living room, where she found her girlfriend lying on the couch, the TV playing out in front of her.

"I have some good news." Joanne said while sitting on the edge of the couch, her hand running through Maureen's hair.

"Mmm." Was all Maureen muttered, her eyes still glued to the TV.

"I was talking to some people at work today, and they said if we can some witnesses from your past, like your mom, or grandma, or even your uncle, we could probably put your dad behind bars. Our case is even stronger after he attacked you in the alley. Now we have your injuries, and Benny as our witness."

"Well good luck." Maureen said bitterly. "I hardly ever talk to my family anymore…and even though Benny saved me, he still is an asshole…so there is no point in even doing this case."

"Benny told me he would act as a witness…and I talked to your mom, I'm pretty sure she'll come and support you." Joanne replied, causing Maureen to turn a stiff glare towards her.

"You talked to my mom?"

"Yeah…a couple nights ago…I…I went to your house in Queens." Joanne answered.

Maureen bolted up right nearly knocking Joanne off the couch, her face full of anger. "Why!"

"I wanted to get some information about your father." Joanne said timidly.

"Joanne!" Maureen yelled, but her curiosity caused her to calm a bit. "What did she say, and what did you tell her!"

"I wanted to know why she didn't protect you when you were young. You were ten years old, and your own mother didn't shield you from that bastard, it made no sense! So I told her she better be there for you this time…whenever the trial is." Joanne answered.

"She's not going to come, if she wasn't there fifteen years ago, what makes you think she is going to come now." Maureen furiously asked while she stood up and threw the blankets off of her. "You had no right talking to her!"

"I was just trying to help Maureen…I'm trying to look out for you…"

"Well stop! This has gone on far enough! I don't even want to think or talk about it anymore. I'm not doing that stupid trial either. All my friends think I'm a loser because I was young and stupid, and let my father abuse me, and now here I am a twenty five year old woman, who gets attacked in an alley…and fucking Benny has to save me. I'm pathetic Joanne! All I do is cry; I don't feel safe anymore unless you're home, I can't even stick up for myself…I'm Maureen Johnson…I can kick a guy's ass in a second…where is she? I want her back! I hate myself right now…" Tears streamed down her face, her body shaking. Slowly she looked up, making eye contact with Joanne. "So just stop trying to help me…the less I hear about it, the more I forget, and that's all I want to do, I just want to forget…let me forget Joanne…"

Joanne rose from the couch, her head shaking. "I'm only going to let you forget once he is behind bars. If we don't get him who knows when he'll strike again, and what if it's someone else…do you want to put someone else in this position?"

"No but I…"

"No Maureen, we're doing this, we need to put him away, give him what he deserves. He doesn't deserve to be walking out on the streets; he deserves to be kicked in the balls a thousand times…"

Maureen let a soft giggle escape her lips. "Don't make me laugh, I'm trying to have a tantrum."

Joanne smirked and reached out to wipe some tears from Maureen's cheeks. "If we do this, I'm sure the old Maureen will come back…I think it will make you feel better if you know he's somewhere where he can't hurt you."

Maureen nodded.

"So…you still want to do this?" Joanne asked. "I can't do it with out you. I mean I can, but it will be a lot easier if you the victim were to help."

"Yeah." Maureen whispered. "Let's put this sick bastard in jail."

"There's the old Maureen coming back." Joanne smirked. "And you're not pathetic Maureen. You were ten and a scared little kid who had no one to go to. None of it was your fault, and none of us think you're a loser, well all love you."

Maureen's face lit up for a moment, before it went back down into a frown. "But what about the alley…"

"Old memories made you weak…and so you had Benny save you, at least somebody came to you in time, think of what would have happened had he not been there…"

Maureen sighed. "You're right…I guess I should thank him…"

"First how about we go to bed…I've noticed you haven't been sleeping…"

"Yes I have!" Maureen stubbornly replied.

"Maureen…I sleep right next to you, I can feel you tossing and turning. I can also see the tired look in your eyes…they're almost bloodshot."

"I know…it's just…every time I close my eyes…he's there…" Maureen said softly, her eyes then shifted to the couch. "Can we stay out here for a few more hours and watch TV? I promise I'll sleep tonight…"

"Sure…" Joanne said with a smile on her face.

The two laid down together, Maureen lying in between Joanne's legs, with her arms tightly wrapped around the lawyer. Maureen tried to stay awake, but once everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks caught up with her, her eyes forcefully closed, and she drifted off into a deep slumber.