Epilogue

She shivered. The court room was cold, and all the castaways she had come to call friends sat behind her, staring at her back as the life she had worked so long to hide unraveled before her.

All but two. Eric stood to one side of her, Nathan to the other, his mom to the other side. Her helpers in this hell. The ones that would either help her sink or swim.

Beneath the jacket she wore the most revealing clothes she had ever had on. They were Taylor's-a tank top and shorts-things she tried to steer clear form because they exposed her bruises and cuts. Now she wore the outfit to show an entire courtroom that her uncle had been abusing her all these years. What would everyone say? She hid beneath a hat and sunglasses-the cuts on her face and bruises that were old illuminated for the first time-on the island everyone had thought they came from the crash. Now she had to prove they weren't. Against the new ones you could tell they had been committed by hands and lamps, not falls and trees.

"We hold James Wu accountable for abusing and hurting Melissa Wu. Will the accused please rise?" From the crowd behind her Melissa heard someone rise and knew instantly that it was her uncle. He came to the front and placed his hand on a bible. "Do you James Wu swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

"Yes." His teeth clenched as he sat down for the audience to see. His eyes bore holes into her skin. She shrank down. If the trial failed she would be hurt a lot when they returned home later. It was the last thing she wanted to happen.

"Melissa Wu please show the courtroom the evidence."

She stood before the courtroom, the trench coat stuck to her form like water, and she removed the hat, glasses, and finally the coat, dropping them all to the floor. And a gasp arose.

She looked ill enough with all the wounds from the captain and his blade, but the old wounds were showing for the first time in her life with actual facts. She couldn't lie her way out of this and say that she got attacked by a stranger or fell down stairs. This was all the truth, being laid before people she never even wanted to have find out.

The eyes of the jury looked at her in fear, as though they expected her to fall apart and break at any moment. She hated the looks on their faces-pity. They all wore the same faces-pity. Even her fellow castaways in the audience had pitiful and scared looks upon their faces. It was everything she had ever dreaded pulled and forced into one small room.

She tried to zone out the trial, make everything go away as she stood in the middle of the room with her uncle staring at her back, thinking of ways to punish her when they returned home, for she doubted he would believe the trial would listen if she was called. But when she was and he was taken from the room her blood ran cold.

"Melissa Wu." The judges voice echoed through the silent room. "How long has this problem been going on?"

She wet her dried lips. "For as long as I can remember." Her voice quivered even in her own ears.

Questions went on. She got more and more anxious. She just wanted it all to be over. It was never wracking and tearing her apart having to answer question after question after question.

Finally, the jury was sent away to decide Melissa's fate. She walked with Eric and Nathan over to the others, who watched them with close eyes. She pulled the trench coat tight around her body, praying that no one would comment on the marks.

Daley pulled her into a hug. She felt like falling, but she couldn't yet. There were no decisions yet that could help her-she still had a small chance that they would not send her uncle away. But she was praying that the jury would agree with her.

Nathan set a hand on her shoulder as Eric wrapped an arm around her waist. "My parents said you can stay at our house as long as you need after all this is done Mel."

"How do you know it will be done?"

"The jury and the judge saw the marks. No way your uncle can testify against the proof." She nodded, but did not believe.

Several minutes later the jury and judge returned, as did her uncle-handcuffed. The three walked back to their seats in the front, leaving their friends behind them.

"The jury accuses James Wu of child abuse, and sentences him to ten years in jail for attempted murder and assaults." The judges voice was like music to Melissa's ears. "Melissa Wu will be placed in the care of Mr. and Ms. McGorill until the age of eighteen, when she can choose the life she wants."

Melissa felt her heart exploding with happiness as everyone filed out of the courtroom, Eric guiding her, a smile tearing across his face. He had actually saved her. He was overjoyed.

Outside the building, Abbey kissed Jackson, the others fanning out and talking amongst themselves. Jackson stared into her eyes and she noticed something.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was sweet, and she brushed at his hair.

"Nothing."

"Something."

He sighed. "Melissa was the first girl I had feelings for. I thought she died out on the island. And then she returned, with Eric, and now...."

Abbey's forehead wrinkled. "Do you miss her?"

He shook his head. "No. Melissa was great," he said, holding her face in both his hands, "but you are better for me." Again he kissed her.

Mel and Eric watched from their seats on a wall not far off. Melissa smiled. "They are happy."

Eric took her hand. "So am I. He'll never hurt you again Mel." And he kissed her full on the lips.

She leaned back and smiled. "Thank you Eric, for everything."

Pita-BreaD-RoCkS: I'm glad you liked it. This is the last chapter so I hoped you enjoyed it.

Josh: Thank you. I don't plan to ever stop writing and this is my last post so I hope you liked it.

I might remake this story so its better. I'm not sure but thank you for reading.