Chapter 28 – Preparing Together
Kate continued to hold her daughter tightly in her arms burying her face into the top of her head crying softly, Livie hugged her back tightly, clinging to her and they just stood there holding each other, reassuring each other, by just being there. Eventually they had to pull apart and Kate saw Rick and the rest of her friends standing there, watching concerned but not knowing what had happened in the room, what Kate now knew about what her daughter had been through in that basement for her. She looked back at Livie "why" she whispered "why just not submit" Livie gazed at her with her chocolate eyes soft yet emotional "because you are my mom" she whispered back simply and hugged her again. Rick came over then hesitantly at first, Kate smiled at him and then still clutching her daughter she hugged him leaning against his chest, "what did he want" he asked gently, Kate hesitated noticing that everyone was listening, she shrugged, "to brag" she said "can't tell you, it was off the record" she didn't want to tell them about why her daughter had been hurt like she was.
Rick seemed to understand and he nodded, he looked at Livie who was quiet, maybe because of what her mom now knew about her kidnapping, she now knew some of the true horrors she had been through, now it wasn't a secret anymore, someone else knew and there was no going back now, the truth was out. Livie smiled at Rick and then surprised him by launching forward and giving him a big hug making her mom smile, Montgomery came forward as they all pulled apart "the trial has been set for a week tomorrow" he said solemnly "Livie, Kate I am sorry but you are both going to be put in the stands, Kate you know what it will be like" he looked at them long and hard "help your daughter prepare, her testifying will put them all away for a very long time, if it is good, unfortunately Tyler Paige has hired a very good and very successful lawyer who is flying in from Washington to represent him, Mr David Harper, he is strong, loves to question everything and hasn't lost a case yet" he looked at all his team "let's make this his first shall we"
Kate smiled and nodded along with the rest of her team, she looked at Livie who was nodding also, she kept glancing back at the interrogation room warily but her face was determined, 'she is like me' Kate thought 'she will never let the bad guy get away if she can help it', Montgomery looked at her and said "take the rest of the day Detective Beckett, spend some time with your daughter" Kate smiled gratefully at him "thank you sir" she said and he gave them another warm smile before disappearing into his office. Kate turned to her daughter to find her staring at Tyler through the window, he hadn't noticed her yet, he was smirking to himself, obviously still pleased about his talk with Kate. "hey" Kate said to her daughter, she turned to look at her "don't think about him any more" Kate said "come on, let's go" Livie smiled at her and said goodbye to Lanie, Ryan and Esposito giving them all a quick hug before joining her mom and Rick waiting for the elevator.
Once again the ride down was silent and once she had gotten in the car Kate started to think long and hard about this case, it should be simple really, they had the evidence but, the case shouldn't have been handled by them, they were homicide detectives not kidnap specialists, but nobody have even thought about handing the case over, the only thing they had thought about was getting Livie back, they hadn't cared about what would happen later on when she was safe, they had just cared about the now. She glanced back at Livie who was sitting in the back, she looked relaxed but she knew her daughter, she was good at hiding things but Kate could see that she was thinking about the case, but she could read her daughter well, or at least she thought she could, Livie had hidden what had happened with Jak from her well, and although she had seen she was hiding something, she hadn't been able to guess what it was.
She looked back at the road as she felt the car slow to a stop, she frowned and looked at Rick as he stopped and turned off the engine, at Livie's yard. Livie didn't question it, she leapt out and ran towards Skye who whinnied at the sight of her and then burrowed her head into her chest affectionately, Livie hugged her burying her face into her dappled coat, a smile slipped across her face and she remained like that running her hand gently up and down the mare's face, whilst leaning against her
Kate looked at Rick who was watching her gently "you ok" he asked concerned "you have been out of it since you spoke with him" Kate gave him a weak smile "I guess he got to me" she mumbled, he watched her and then opened his arms, with a relieved sigh Kate leaned across the gap separating them and leaned against him relieved at the contact, they both watched Livie, Carrie had come out and handed her Skye's bridle, it was lunch time so all the yard staff were on lunch and the schools were empty so Carrie allowed Livie to put the bridle onto her favourite mare and take her into the biggest, she boosted her on, spoke to her for a few minutes and then left giving Kate and Rick a acknowledging wave, which they returned. They watched as Livie walked round with the mare on a long rein, content with each other's company, bareback Livie sat, as comfortable on Skye's broad back as if she had been born up there. Kate watched as once again the horse healed her, she visibly relaxed and smiled as the mare swung her head round cheekily asking for attention.
"thanks Rick, for bringing us here" Kate said watching, seeing Livie relax and ride helped her relax too "no problem, I think I know my girls by now" Rick said and Kate smiled at the thought of being a part of his family, they watched Livie ask for trot and then after another couple of laps, she asked for canter, Kate smiled at her, Rick was right to bring her here, to her healing horse. They watched Livie ride and relax for another 20 minutes until she finished and rode to the gate, she leant down and opened it letting her and Skye out she rode her back across the yard her legs hanging long down the mare's sides, she stopped and slipped off leading her back in. Kate shifted "I'm gonna go talk to her" she said and Rick nodded "good idea" she smiled at him before slipping out and making her way across the unusually quiet yard to the stable with her daughter in.
Livie was standing grooming her horse whilst Skye munched on her hay content, Kate leaned on the door watching for a minute before picking up a brush and joined her daughter brushing the mare who gave up on her hay and just hung her head dozing as they groomed her.
"How are you feeling" Kate asked, Livie looked at her and shrugged "ok I guess, don't really know what I have to do though" Kate bit her lip "they want you to tell them about how you were taken and what happened to you in the basement, mostly what happened in the basement or any other time that we don't know what happened during" Livie glanced at her "you know now" she said and Kate gave her a small smile trying to treat it lightly, the loyalty she had shown her, as Livie was. "who will question me" Livie asked "well our lawyer and the defence lawyer, mostly ours though" Livie nodded "is yours any good" she asked Kate smiled "well we have done a lot of cases with him so yeah he's alright" "not as good as the fancy Washington lawyer though huh" Livie commented. Kate stopped brushing Skye "hey" she said gently "one thing I have learned over the years, is that it is not about how expensive your lawyer is, or how good he is – though it does help – it is about having a good strong case and evidence" Livie smiled "am I evidence" she asked, Kate nodded "in a way yeah as the key witness you are I suppose"
Livie glanced at her anxious "what if I screw up" she worried "you won't" Kate said "and anyway, the jury know most of what happened so they will understand if you can't take it in the stands" Livie nodded but she still dint look convinced "and you are not alone" Kate said softly "we will all be there, I am testifying, so is Ryan or Esposito and Lanie will be giving the autopsy report so we will all be there, right behind you all the way" Livie smiled happily at that thought "how long will he go away for" she asked "well I think we can definitely get him for kidnapping which is between ten and twenty years and torture too which is about 20 too, I think we are hoping for life with the attempted murder or" she hesitated looking at her 13 year old daughter "the injection" Livie nodded but didn't comment on that last part.
She asked a few more questions which Kate answered patiently and willingly, understanding the need to know feeling that her daughter had, she remembered her first time in court feeling exactly the same way, they continued to groom the mare until her coat gleamed, her light grey mane shone and hung silkily down her neck and her long tail was free of knots and tangles and had been brushed and brushed until it fell in light waves, she looked amazing Kate thought as she and her daughter stepped back to admire their work, Skye looked at them and nickered making Livie move back over to her and hug her happily, they decided to go back home so after putting the brushes and the bridle away and thanking Carrie who thanked them for making Skye look so good, they returned to the car. Rick was dozing in the driver's seat but when the door opened he sat up "nice nap" Kate teased, he grinned and wrinkled his nose "mmm very nice, love the smell" he commented making them both chuckle.
XOXOXO
When they arrived home Alexis was already there and concerned about how it went, they told her what had happened and she was supportive and caring to Livie, the perfect big sister, they tried to all forget about it for the evening and out on another movie cuddling up together as a family again, this time they made it through the movie and they all went to bed when it was done, Kate dithered slightly wondering whether her daughter would need her again that night, Livie saw her hesitate and went over to hug her "go be with your boyfriend" she said making Kate smile "you sure" she whispered Livie nodded "well ok, you know where I am if you need me" she said again Livie nodded, Kate kissed her daughter goodnight and then joined Rick in bed curling up against his chest happily, they both lay awake waiting for Livie's cries to pull them out of bed, but none came, not until near morning when Kate was asleep
She heard her cries when Livie cried out a particularly loud one, she jerked awake and hurriedly climbed out of bed and ran to Livie, she was writhing and twisting in her sleep, suddenly she began to sob "no" she sobbed "no I don't believe you, your lying" Kate tried to catch hold of her arm but she was writhing away "stop" she cried out "leave my mom alone, I don't believe any of it, I love and trust my mom and there is nothing you can do to change that" Kate stopped, biting her lip, she was remembering being told that her mom didn't love her, she shook Livie "c'mon Liv wake up honey" Livie then howled in pain "no" she shouted "no, no I won't, I won't" she yelled again before Kate managed to wake her.
She jerked awake gasping, she looked around wildly before seeing her mom and relaxing slightly, then she seemed wary "you heard me" she said, Kate nodded, Livie's eyes flicked over her face before moving forward into her arms, they hugged for a long while until they heard sounds of life in the house, there was a tap at the door and they both looked up to find Rick and Alexis standing there concerned, Livie gave them a small smile "bad dream" she mumbled and then pulled herself to her feet and moved towards the wardrobe, Kate watched her pull out her clothes for the day and then quietly backed out of the room with Rick and Alexis.
As she walked slowly down the stairs Kate thought, this trial was going to have a huge impact on her daughter's life, it would either, make it all better and make the pain go away, or it would bring everything back out and they would be forced to start again.
She just hoped it was the first option.
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