Last night was quite interesting. Ms. Anderson and Kevin got along great for my older brother and his little sister's boyfriend's Mom. She admired how well he's doing for such a young age. If they weren't about thirty years apart, I could've sworn they were flirting. Kevin was just being the gentleman he is.

Garrett had pulled me over to apologize greatly for what he did the other day. He wanted to buy me something to show how much he's sorry for. If Kevin hadn't just bought me everything I'd wanted, I would've let him.

"Hey, Steph? Can we talk?" Kevin knocked on my door before leaving for school.

I put the plate from my toast in the sink. "Yeah, come on in." I was a little worried of what he wanted to tell me. But what other bad things could happen?

"Mrs. Jess just called a minute ago." He sat down on my bed.

I faced him.

"The court date got moved to tomorrow. They had an opening, and they thought this case should be the one moved up. It's at nine."

I was frozen. Seeing Mom and Dad for the first time since I was being hauled on in an ambulance, and since I jumped out of the car, jumping away from him would be hard. But it's not like they can do anything to me; they'll be in front of the judge, people, and bailiffs. "Alright."

"So, after school, we need to go get you a few nice dresses to wear. And before you say anything, the Captain approved of it."

"I'm kind of not sure if I want to go."

"You have to."

"I know I do. Let's go."

It was tomorrow at eight-fifty-one. Kevin and I sat with our lawyer, in front of where the judge will be sitting. We had nine minutes until we'd see our parents, and we'd start talking about what will be happening to the three of us. Mom and Dad couldn't afford a lawyer, so they're on there own. Kevin got one of his friends to do it for us. Kevin told him everything as I slept last night. We had this "in the bag" and Jake, our lawyer, would say.

But what is "in the bag" supposed to mean? Get them both thrown in jail for the rest of their life? What would happen to me? Or Mom, for that matter—she didn't really do much, but I guess that was the reason behind why she was also arrested.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Andrew: sorry I couldn't come today baby. Hope it all goes well. Tell me what happens. Love you3

Stephanie: 3

My phone read 8:58 now. Any second and my parents would be walking out in handcuffs.

And that second was now. Mom had obviously been crying. Her hair was wrapped in a bun on her hair. She was wearing those black and white jumpsuits.

Dad was also. You could tell he was in need of a shower. His eyes were bloodshot, meaning he needed sleep—or alcohol. He squinted his eyes when he saw me and Kevin sitting together. He wanted to kick and scream I'm sure; two of his three kids trying to get him thrown in jail. Plus, Matt was sitting behind us, on our side to get him out of our lives. I'm sure that doesn't make his day.

"Please rise," one of the bailiffs demanded.

We all rose. Kevin took my hand in comfort.

"Sit, sit," the judge spat at us when she walked in. Her name was Judge Mason. She had short dirty blonde hair, glasses, and was thin and old. She reminded me of Judge Judy. "We are here to decide whether Lucas Haynie should reside in prison between fifteen years or life for child abuse and neglect." She started.

I took deep breathes. I did not want to have a panic attack during court.

"We will let the defendants talk first," she nodded towards Jake.

He stood, showing off his new suit. "This child, had only been physically hurt for three days and look at her: right arm in a sling, bruise one on her right cheek from her father hitting her, bruise two on the bridge of her nose from her father slamming a door in her face while she was doing laundry. Both of her wrists bruised on the under sides from her father grabbing her." He removed a poster from the easel sitting in front of the jury. A picture of me, passed out, with the bruise on my cheek showed. He removed that one seconds later, showing the gash on my arm, another one of the bruises on my wrists. "Four bruises, eight stitches, and a broken heart, in three days, your Honor.

"Lucas is a known alcoholic. He had just gotten back from rehabilitation a week before he started hurting his daughter. It did not seem to work, am I right?" He removed the picture of my wrists to show a picture of the two beers that were hidden in his car. "This was just a week after coming back from rehabilitation. The owner of The Roadway Sports Bar gave me receipts of his purchases there, from months before rehab up to the other day. He was not faithful to his nine month time there.

"His boss at SAC said 'Lucas would always leave around four Pm,'" he read from a sheet of paper in his hands. "Stephanie said he wouldn't be home until seven, sometimes eight Pm." He walked to the easel again, showing a blown up version of receipts: one from August 2008, one from the day after he was back from rehab.

I could hear my mom gasping. Somehow, she could not have believed that he lied. I was the only one that never believed a word he said.

"Stephanie says about ten months ago, he was in a wreck involving drunk driving. That was when he 'realized he needs to go to rehab'. She says she witnessed him pushing his wife, Angela Haynie, onto the stairs after her trying to run away. She said they had just had a fight, and he was intoxicated. Does this sound like a suitable home for a fourteen year old girl? I think not!" he slammed his papers on his desk.

"Do you have any witnesses?" Judge Mason asked Jake.

He straightened himself. "Matthew Haynie, your Honor."

I had no idea Matt was going to speak today; it was surprise enough that he even came. He sat upon a chair near the judge, right next to the jury.

"Do you swear on the Holy Bible that you will tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" one of the bailiffs asked, holding out a bible.

Matt raised his left hand and put his right on the bible. "Yes."

"So, Matthew, you are the middle child of the Haynie family?" Jake asked.

"Yes, sir, I am."

"How long ago did you move out?"

He thought for a few seconds. "About half a year before they moved here. I've been on my own for two years, I believe."

Jake walked around the front of the court room. "Did you ever realize your father has been violent, when you lived with them that is?"

"He's always been verbally violent, for as long as I could remember."

"Mhm, mhm," Jake nodded. "Any examples?"

"I was seventeen, about to graduate high school, and he started calling me an 'ass for leaving my mother, just like Kevin had.'"

"Anything else?"

"I was sixteen when I overheard Dad calling Stephanie a 'fat whore' because she had asked to go to her friend's house, who happened to be a guy. She was only ten, maybe eleven."

"Has your father ever hit you or your brother before?"

"He hit me one time, when he was yelling at Mom and Kevin one night after work. He was drunk and saying how Mom's a bitch who just sits around all day, and that Kevin's a worthless kid because he was defending her. I started defending Kevin, telling him to shut up and to just get over everything and go to bed. He slapped me, and I slapped him back. He then realized he met his match, and went to sleep." He glared at Dad.

He was glaring back.

"So, you're saying that your father is both physically and verbally abusive, correct?" he walked to Matthew. We were all family friends, and he had actually known all of this, even from the past. He just had to ask and make sure they were true, and prove them to the jury.

"Yes, I am," he nodded.

"That's all, your Honor."

Four hours later.

"Lucas Haynie, please stand," Judge Mason asked.

He rose, glaring at Kevin, Jake, and I. He glanced over to the judge, already figuring he was guilty.

"The jury finds you guilty in the order for child abuse and child neglect. Your sentence is life time in prison."

Kevin, Matthew, Jake and I sighed in relief. One parent out of my life forever, and it happened to be the one I loathed.

"Angela Rose-Haynie," Judge Mason motioned for her to stand.

"The jury finds you guilty for the count of child neglect. Your sentence will be six months in prison." She raised her gavel.

Before she could, I stood. "You're Honor?"

She peered over her glasses at me. "Yes, Stephanie?"

"With both of my parents in prison, I have nowhere to live, and nobody to watch me."

She nodded. "That's correct," she flipped through a few papers. "It says here that in case of your parents death, Kevin Haynie will take over and be your legal guardian," she pursed her lips at Kevin. "It seems like Kevin will be your legal guardian."

Kevin's head shot to mine. "Is that okay with you?"

"You seem to be a better guardian than Mom and Dad were, so of course I am," I smiled.

"Then we'll make it official tomorrow, you two. Come back at nine Am tomorrow, and we'll discuss it then," Judge Mason raised her gavel and hit it against her desk. "Case dismissed."

Kevin and Jake shook hands. I half smiled at my two brothers and watched my parents being hauled away to their new lives, even if my Mom's was temporary.

Stephanie: can you come to the hotel if Kevin picks you up?

Andrew: yeah, howd it go?

I didn't reply; I was afraid to. "Kevin, can we pick up Andrew and bring him to the hotel, please?" I felt tears filling up.

He nodded in concern. "What's the problem, Steph? We won," he put his arm around me.

"I'm going to have to leave Andrew and my life here…"

"Why?"

"Because you have to live in Charleston in case you need to leave and go to war."

"I'm on leave for at least six years, Steph. I only live in Charleston because it's close to base, where my doctor is. Plus it's beautiful. It's only a couple hours away; I think you and Andrew could live through it if you love each other so much."

I shook my head and pushed his arm off of me. I ran out of the room, leaving my brothers in their victory. Out of the Court House, it was pouring and thundering. It was actually kind of beautiful. I loved rain. And right now, it went along with my emotions.

Andrew was standing under the awning waiting for me. It was still storming. Kevin and I hadn't said a word since we were in the court room. I guess neither of us knew what to say.

I got out of the car quickly, wanting to be in his arms as soon as possible.

He met me half way, and hugged me as tight as he could, trying not to bother my hurt arm. "Baby, baby, what's wrong?"

My mouth fell open, afraid to tell him.

He took that moment to kiss me. I used my left hand and wrapped my arm around his neck. He moved his arms around my waist, one arm tighter than the other.

We just stood there in the pouring rain, making out in his front lawn. It wasn't like any regular kiss; it was like that kiss the other day in his bed. It had that much passion, that much love- but it had a hint of worry in it, too.

"Now," he breathed. "What's wrong?"

Tears joined the rain drops on my cheek. "I'm moving."