Author's note: Thanks so much for the reviews I'm glad your enjoying the story.They say a writer gets better with time and effort so I hope the end of this story is just as good as the beginning. Keep reading and reviewing and if you have an ideas or opinions of what you think I should do next let me know. I'm open for suggestions.

Tuesday ame a little faster than anyone expected. Noelle was a nervous wreck. Of course anyone would be in her predictament. She wanted to be anywhere but here at this point and time.

Randy handed her a drink of water as they waited for her to be called in as a witness . She couldn't wait in there any longer. Their Lawyer told them they could wait till they were called in the hall so she wouldn't stress to much. After the Judge said that the statue of limitations ran out on anything that happened in the past, and could not be tried in this court only recent events would be tried Noelle almost passed out. The Judge said they could bring them up to show a pattern but the Jury was ordered to disregard them as anything else.

"How are you feeling?"

Noelle looked at her brother. "I'd rather be in a horror film with Freddy Krugger, Micheal Myers, Chucky, and pin head right now. I think my odds would be better."

"Your gonna do fine, and no matter what happens in there your eighteen now, and you can live where ever you want."

Noelle nodded, Randy had a point. Everyone else was sitting behind those doors listening to what Dan and Becky were saying about her. Making her look bad so the jury would be on their side, and making themselves look like saints.

"Noelle Orton!"

Randy and Noelle followed the court official into the court room and Noelle headed to the chair where they placed a bible infront of her.

"Place your left hand on the bible, and lift your rightt hand."

Noelle did so, and looked right at Dan, and Becky.

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

"I do."

"You may be seated."

Jenna and Bob's attorney Mr.Casenkamp approached her. "Now Noelle can you tell us what your life was like at your Mother, and Step-fathers house?"

Noelle took a deep breath. "Misserable. No matter what I did it was wrong, and I got punished frequently for just being alive."

The doors openned and Noelle looked up to see John come in and sit with the others.

Noelle felt a new energy hit her, and knew that this was gonna be a little harder now, but better to get everything out.

"My mom use to call me her constant reminder of everything she did wrong in the past, and Dan would agree. If I wasn't born their lives would be so much better."

"DId you ever disobey your parents?"

"I guess so. What teenager doesn't?"

"How were you punished?"

Noelle looked at John then at Dan, and Becky. " He would hit me with his fist or anything that was lying around. I was hit with a tire iron one time. He would kick me, punch me whatever he felt like doing. My mom would turn her head and pretent she didn't see anything, or she would go to work."

"Did Dan do anything else to you?"

Noelle looked down as she remembered everything that was done to her over the years. "When I was 16 Dan started touching me in places that no father should touch their daughter. When I turned 17 it got worse."

"Worse how? Can you tell us in detail?"

"I remember laying in my bed and hearing my door creak open, closing my eyes wishing I were anywhere else but here because I knew what was going to happen. He climbed into my bed and before I knew what was happening he was holding me down, and forcing himself on me...That was the first time he raped me...He said I was a whore..like my mom,this happening was all my fault, and that was when he told me he wasn't my father. He beat me so bad that night I could barely walk. A couple days later he raped me again, and when he was finished he told me this was just the start of my torement till I was eighteen."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"He said he would kill me if I told, but I did tell my friend Connor."

"Thank you."

Next her mom's attorney came up to her. "Isn't it true you have psycotic tendencies, and you attacked your mother?"

"No!"

"Isn't it true you tried to kill yourself?"

Noelle looked down at her wrists. "Yes, but..."

"Isn't true you did this for attention so people would believe your lies?"

Noelle had tears coming down her face. "No! He raped me !!"

"So you say."

"Objection!!"

The judge looked at the girl "Over ruled."

"Sorry your honor. From what you say It was Dan who did all these things to you not your mother. Is that true?"

Noelle looked at her mother's smiling face. "Yes but she knew..."

"Maybe this is your way of teaching her a lesson. I mean for all we know you suduced your step-father, and when things didn't go your way you decided to get revenge, and come up with these lies."

"I'm not lieing! Why would I?"

"So were suppose to take your word. The word of someone who is obviously unstable enough to kill herself."

"Objection."

"Sustained."

Their attorney smiled "No more questions."

The Judge looked at Noelle "You may step down."

Noelle looked at Dans smiling face and got down from the bench and headed to wear Randy was sitting. He handed her a tissue but she refused.

Mr. Casenkamp stood up again. "Next witness we'd like to call is Connor Wiley."

Connor took his oath and sat down.

"Did you know what was happening to Miss.Orton?"

Connor looked at Noelle "Yeah. She told me everything. We're best friends."

"DId you see any proof?"

"Yes sir. I've seen her black eyes, and busted lips. I know he hit her with a belt one time because she could barely move and when I looked at her back there were welts and imprints that the belt left on her skin. She always had bruises."

"Did she tell you of the rapes?"

"She told me of the first one. I told her to go to the cops, but she was to scared. I also saw him one time. When they got her back a few months ago her brother called and asked me to check on her. I walked over to the house, and head her scream. I looked through the window, and Dan was ripping her clothes off her, he had her arms pinned above her head as she struggled. I saw him rape her, and I'll the police right away."

Noelle looked down ashamed. She never knew Connor saw that happen.He never said anything to her.

Mr.Casenkamp went to the evidence table. "I would like to bring to the courts attention exhibit A. Are these pictures you took?"

Connor looked at the pictures of different bruises on Noelle's body, and nodded his head.

"When did you take these?"

"I think she was 14 or 15 at the time. We thought if we had proof something would be done, but Dan found some of the pictures and threatened so bad she was to terriffied to do anything."

"Objection your honor. The statue of limitations ran out on those pictures."

"Overruled."

"No more questions."

Dan, and Becky's attorney wore a smile Connor wanted to knock off his face.

"Hello Mr.Wiley."

"Can we just get to the questions?"

"You say Noelle's your bestfriend, but was she also your girlfriend at one time?"

"Yeah, so."

"Did you have a physical relationship?"

"Yes, but it was only one time, and we decided we were better off friends."

"Well would you say you would do anything for her?"

"Yes. I care about her."

"Enough to fake evidence to make her parents look guilty?"

"No! Those pictures are real. I would never hurt her like that . Dan hit her all the time. He's a monster."

"No more questions."

"You are dissmissed Mr. Wiley."

Hours passed, and the tape that was sent to Noelle was playing. Noelle couldn't watch. She just wanted it to be over with. When the tape was finished Mr.Casenkamp started his closing arguement.

"No kid deserves to be punished in the manner to which Miss.Orton was. Teenagers make mistakes, but no kid should be humiliated or degrated in a way like this. The law stats that every kid should besafe, and protected in their own home, and no hand should be raised to a child. Mr, and Mrs. Boston did not follow that. Mr.Boston handed out the punishment, but Mrs. Boston stood by and let it happen. She is just as guilty as if she were doing the hitting. Mis.Orton had her life ripped away from her at a young age, and for them to get away with it would be injust. Put yourelf in her shoes, and think about how you would want it dealt with. What if it were your child that was being abused, would you let the abuser go free?"

Mr.Casenkamp sat down, and Next was Mr.Newman (Becky, and Dan's attorney).

"Mrs.Orton is troubled kid with a troubled past. She wasn't very stable, and took it out on her mother. She made up these lies to make Mr. and Mrs.Boston out to be monsters, but would a parent really do those thing to their child? How would you feel if your child accussed you of such hanious crimes? Do the right thing, and don't put innocent people behind bars because of one very good actress."

"The jury will go into debating, and when they come to a conclusion we will reintervene."

The judge bangged the gavel to dissmiss the court and everyone rose. When the Judge was gone everyone started to head out. Becky stopped Noelle before she had a chance to leave her seat.

"You'll see that noone will believe you. You have no proof of anything recent. They'll take that into account."

Noelle looked down at her mother's hand around her arm. "They got D.N.A. from the last time he raped me. That's evidence.Let me go. No matter what happens I don't want you anywhere near me ever again. You're not my mother. You're just a pathetic excuse."

Noelle got out of her mother's grip and followed Jenna, and Bob out of the court room. Bob put his arm around his daughter.

"Let's go get some food."

"I'm not hungry. I think I'm gonna go for a walk in the park. I have my cell phone."

"Are you sure?" Jenna asked as everyone who showed looked at her.

"Yeah. I need to be alone right now, and I need some fresh air."

Bob nodded. "We'll call if we hear anything."

"Okay." Noelle walked down the steps and headed across the street to the park.

Noelle found a bench and sat down with her arms wrapped around her chest. She wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around her when a flannel shirt was placed around her shoulders. John sat down beside her.

"I had no clue you went through so much." He said looking her over as she looked straight ahead.

"I told you my life was a mess. I didn't want you dragged into it."

"I wanted to be dragged into it. I care about you. I love you."

Noelle wipped the tears away before they had a chance to run down her cheeks. "I just thought that if you knew everything or you were with me you would resent me for getting stuck in the middle. I just couldn't handle it if you eventually hated me."

John tilted her face to look right at him. "I could never hate you."

Noelle let him pull her into a hug and let him hold her.. "I'm so sorry ."

"Quit saying that. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Noelle phone beeped and she openned to read the text message.

"The Jury is in."

John read it over her shoulder "That didn't take long at all."

John grabbed her hand and they walked back into the court room sitting together.

"Has the Jury reached a verdict?"

"We have your honor. We find the defendent ... Mr.Dan Boston Guilty of Sexual Assault.

We find the Defendent Mrs Becky Boston.. not guilty."

Noelle couldn't believe it.

The Judge banged the gavel and cleared his throat. "Mr. Boston I sentence you to no more than eighteen months and no less than 12 months in a minimal security prison. Mrs.Boston you are free to go. This court is dissmissed."

Dan turned around and smiled right at Noelle before he was taken out in handcuffs. Becky looked smuggly at Noelle.

"I told you." She then leaned down so only Noelle could hear her "You'll get yours in the end."

Becky left and John pulled Noelle close to him. "What did she say?"

"Nothing." Noelle said more so to herself then to John. Jenna placed her arm around Noelle and walked with her out of the court room.

"This is the beginning of your future. I don't want you to linger on them anymore. Don't let them win, or get to you."

Noelle looked at Becky as they passed her. "I wont."

Noelle went to bed that night thinking about what Becky said and wondering the meaning.