Author's Note: Sorry for the delay folks, here's the newest chapter, this story and it's sequel are finished. I'm jumping between this and a Fantastic 4 story when I have no other muses. That said I've been swept up by the Glee Bug so I'm splitting my time.

Chapter Eleven

Saturday came, and Amber stood on the door step with Andrew Poole, hating every fiber of her being as she knocked on Ben Gates' door. They'd tried to stall all they could, but in the end it hadn't been enough. Because Andrew had already armed himself with a lawyer and was fully prepared to start the law suit early, and they were avoiding this going to anything but Civil court. At least in civil court, Riley stood a chance of getting what was best for him. Any other system would give Riley to Marshall just out of biological purpose.

Riley opened the door, his eyes wide. Amber watched his face go pale and she knew this was the last thing he'd figured would happen. They'd all prepared themselves for the worst. But a part of Riley had desperately hoped his father would chicken out in the end and what absolutely nothing to do with him.

"Ri-" Ben stopped as he saw Amber standing there with a gruff looking man by her side. His eyes alone danced with anger as he looked down at Riley. But there was no mistaking this man was Riley's father. Between the hair, face and eyes, it was like looking at Riley in twenty or thirty years. "Amber," Ben whispered. He and Riley had planned to go visit Patrick Gates today a little, before Riley was taken. But clearly plans were about to change.

"Thank you very much for yer time Mr. Gates, but I'll be takin' the boy with me now." Marshall's voice was gravely as though he'd smoked ten packs of cigarettes a day for ten years.

"I'm sorry, Ben-"

"Yeah, he don't want your sorrys," muttered Andrew as he reached out and grabbed Riley's upper arm and dragged him from the doorway.

"Hey," Ben snapped, "At least let the kid grab some of his stuff."

Amber attempted to keep any words about testosterone streaming, but she looked at Riley, "Sweetie, do you have anything you need-"

"He don't need anything you gave him. Let's go boy."

Riley looked at Ben with pleading eyes as the bear of a man all but dragged him out of the apartment, leaving Ben and Amber looking stunned. "I'm sorry Ben, I couldn't stop him. Dana said she'd be by soon to talk to you about the hearing."

"How long?"

She looked at him seriously, "Two weeks if we're lucky, a…a year at the worst."

"A yea-"

"Look Ben, we're pushing limits here as it is. There are some things even we can't always fix. This is red tape that most people can't even bust through. Just…just patience okay."

"In the meanwhile that man beats my son."

"Let's hope not."

Downstairs in the parking lot, Andrew all but threw the boy at the car, "Get in, now."

"Dad-"

"Shut the hell up. So what, you suddenly think because you send me to prison you can escape! I don't think so kid. Get in the damn car."

"You're not my father-" The words were out before he could even think, Andrew physically grabbed him and shoved him in the car, making sure to leave a few bruises behind, before he got into the car himself. "You and you're mother, fuckin' whelps. No good."

"Then why do you care about me!" Demanded Riley, he cursed. Living with Ben had brought some of his usual sarcasm back. He never smart mouthed to anyone but Ben, and it was only for fun. Now he couldn't stop.

"Because nobody like you deserves to be happy, shut up."

Riley stared out his window as Andrew pulled away from his home. He felt his eyes watering up at the thought that he may never see Ben again. "I see you're still a sissy."

Riley bit his tongue this time, and scooting closer to the car door, praying that however long it would take to get the hearing, it wouldn't be too long. He was dreading that this time he may not come back a stay with his father.

Ben stood staring at Riley's bedroom for nearly an hour, his heart longing to hear the boy's sarcasm etched voice. He stepped further into the room and sat down on the bed, looking around the room and for the first time since all this had began, he felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Elbows on his knees, Ben buried his face in his hands, trying to imagine any length of time, from two weeks to a year without his newly acquired son.

Riley sat in the dingy bedroom, drafty and cold, with a old musty moth eaten blanket. He sat, wedged into the corner for fear of what his father might do if he came into the bedroom. Bedroom: was more like a little closet. Riley looked out the window, staring at the sky, hoping that maybe Ben would come riding in on his white horse and rescue him. Though he was sure that was irrational and foolish.

Closing his eyes slowly, Riley lay down on the bed, curling up with the blanket and desperately trying to remember what Emily had told him, the good times.

"Riley, it's just me, you and Frank. Tell me what your father did to you," Judge Cooper questioned.

"I…He came into the bedroom the first night after he came to pick me up, he was angry.

"About what?"

Riley shook his head, "I don't even remember," his eyes were watering as he looked at her, "It's one thing when it's another kid you used to live with…but he's my dad…isn't he supposed to love me?"

The door slammed open, jerking Riley out of his half asleep state, "Stupid little fucker!" The man screamed, belt in hand. Riley tried desperately to scoot away from his father. Protecting his face with his arms as the belt started to hit him. He cried out in pain.

"My arms, my knees, eventually my head, he hit me with the belt…fifty times." He whispered, his eyes staring as though he was reliving the moment.

"Then what happened?" Frank questioned gently as he sat in front of the child's chair.

"He said…he said…"

"Stupid little whelp, you've been bad, what do bad boys get," Riley cried as the man tore down his good pants. Riley closed his eyes furiously against the groping hands. Against the breath dripping with alcohol.

"He raped you?"

Riley nodded very slowly, tears dripping from his chin, he hadn't even realized he was crying as he sat there. Judge Cooper came over and handed him a tissue and rubbed his back as he sobbed. "Riley, was this the first time?"

The child shook his head no. The two stood there for several minutes, each with a hand on one of his shoulders in effort to console the poor boy. "Riley, sweetie, we really need to know what happened after that.

He left, as quick as he'd come, he'd slammed out of the bedroom, leaving the child sobbing in semen and blood on the bed. Andrew had tore his pants, but not horribly so. Riley glanced at the window one last time; they'd only driven for about twenty minutes to get to the new apartment.

Face puffy and swollen from crying, tender from the welts that were rapidly forming on his face and arms, he lay there for a long time crying, hearing his father destroying something in the living room and he wished he was with Ben.

"How long before you ran Riley?"

"Four days…I stayed for four days." Riley whimpered. "He didn't…he didn't do it again. Just came into my room screaming, beating me."

"What happened that night?"

"Nobody wants you! You're just a stupid little useless whelp, I should've killed you when I killed your mother!"

Strike after blow, Andrew beat the boy, leaving bruises everywhere on the child's body. Finally, after almost thirty minutes of what felt like Riley's last minutes, the man left.

Riley whimpered, but pushed himself up off the bed, hugging his rips he grabbed a bag and began to throw the few items he'd need to make the trek. He planned it out, by two; Marshall had fallen into a drunken stupor, leaving Riley two his own devices. He'd remained awake, he was sore and tired, but fearful if he stayed here one more night, he was determined he'd get home.

"So you ran away."

"Yes. I had to, I know it was frowned upon, but I was afraid if I stayed one more night…" Riley stopped looking down.

Frank looked at the child, "Ben gave you something to live for?"

"Yeah."

Scooting out of the window, Riley lowered himself towards the ground, secretly thankful that it wasn't far down. He closed the window and looked around, trying to gain his bearings. He'd shoved a few pillows under the blanket in efforts to make it look like he was still there.

The August weather was still warm, but it was starting to drizzle. Riley looked around, remembering what Ben had told him about the North Star. Deciding his heading, Riley began to limp down the road. He wasn't positive where he was going, and he was all too aware that this wasn't the best part of town, but he'd make it. He had to.

"And you did, how long did you walk?"

"An hour and a half."

He'd come to more than a few gas stations, where he'd considered stopping and asking for directions or a lift, but ultimately he decided anyone working this late at night probably wouldn't be in any hurry to help him. He continued on, whimpering as he tried to remember where Ben lived. It was when he saw the diner, where Ben usually took him after school, that Riley felt relief.

Up until now he'd limped, the pain in his legs and waist unbearable after what his father had done to him. But suddenly the urge and need to run towards home overtook him. He ran, as fast as he could, vaguely aware his feet ached and his bones cried for him to stop.

And then, there it was. Salvation, if Riley believed in miracles, it was staring him in the face. Ben's apartment. He hurried up the stairs, and found the doorway. Searching his pockets for the key, his hands shook, frantic fear becoming evident, he felt as though his father was on his tail, an impossible thought. But yet he couldn't help the terror. He began to pound on the door, sobbing in efforts that Ben might notice the noise.

The light outside the door flicked on, and a moment later Riley heard what sounded like heaven, the door unlocking. "Riley!" Ben was standing in only his boxers, looking down, completely stunned at the child before him. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ben pulled the boy inside gently and couldn't help but notice how terrible the child appeared.

"I…I couldn't stay, please," Riley felt his eyes burn with tears, "Please, don't make me go, I want to stay with you!" He cried.

Ben, uncaring of the grime and filth on the child, grabbed him and pulled him close, "You're okay now, I promise." Ben whispered, well aware he couldn't always keep that promise, but he'd damn well try. "We need to get you to the hospital-"

"No please," he whimpered.

Ben looked down at him and sighed, "Fine, but we're not staying here, Marshall knows where I live."

Ben picked up the phone, desperately hoping his mother was awake and quickly called her. "It's Ben, I'm sorry, but Riley is here…and we kind of need your help. Thanks, we'll be right over."

Riley heard Ben rattle off a string of numbers, asking her to make several phone calls in the hour it would take them to get to her place. "I'll be really glad when we move into the house."

"Does this mean I can stay?"

Ben looked at the child, ruffling his hair gently, aware of how abused the child had been, "Riley, you could always stay. Let's grab you a change of clothes and we'll head out."

"I met them there," Frank offered.

"So you testify that Riley was in this state upon arrival?" Jacob questioned the officer.

"Riley showed severe signs of physical abuse, as well as signs of sexual abuse. All of which Doctor Andrews can verify."

Wendy Andrews stood, "I'd also like to note, that every record for the past ten years we have on file of one Riley Poole, states that he's continued to suffer at the hands of an abusive family."

"Until he arrived in Ben's care," Frank finished.

TBC