Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters, but I do own Brad and Chelsea.

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Okay.....well....a couple things I want to say: I got in trouble because I'm on the computer 24/7 so I cant get on as much because of my dad. Therefore I can't post as often. Sorry. Note to Hayden Christensen fans: Ok, so I'm a traitor, but I was channel surfing and I just happened to stop on the forbidden fox family channel and FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8 eastern and 7 central, FFC will be playing FREEFALL. Hayden has a role in that, so Hayden fans you should check that out. Also keep your eye out on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays on the FFC...they're doing FFC original movies on those nights.... and see if they play Trapped In a Purple Haze. He also has a role in that. I'm going to tape them both when they play them!

In Your Darkest Hour

Ch. 13

"Acceptance of what happened is the first step to overcoming
the consequence of any misfortune."
--William James

Shortly after Shelby had talked to the policeman and answered question after question after question, he allowed her to go find Scott. He wasn't in the examining room that she had last seen him in, so she headed to the cafeteria. She saw him sitting at the familiar table, the table she had been sitting at when she was in the hospital. The difference was, he was alone. She walked over to the table and sat down across from him.

"Well?" he asked in regard to what she had told the police officer.

"Well........I told him what happened." She confirmed.

"Everything?" he asked

"Everything." She said with a smile. "It's not like I had time to lie. He wanted to know everything. Who, what, when, where, why, how.....you name it, he wanted to know it."

"Did you tell him about the abuse?" Scott asked.

"Yeah. It's not like it was a big secret or anything."

"So that's it?"

"No...not quite....." she trailed off.

"Define 'not quite'." He said and leaned forward.

"Ok..um...Brad decided to press charges. Against both of us." She said and looked down.

"What?!" Scott said. "Why?!"

"I'm not done.....See, I was thinking the same thing. He has nothing on us...well at least I don't know of anything.....but we have stuff on him...so I told the police officer that we wanted to reciprocate by pressing charges on him."

"Shelby, he has plenty on us! You wait and see...his lawyer will dig up dirt on us! Our pasts...everything! How could you do this without talking to me first!?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry...I am...I'll tell the officer we changed our minds."

"No, Shelby." He said sternly.

"Huh?" she asked a little confused at his mixed reactions.

"I didn't want you to get into this, but once you're in it, you stay in it." He said harshly. "We're not backing down, because that's letting him take advantage of us, and we don't need that. I need you to do 2 things for me." He said.

"Ok, shoot." She said a little happy he wasn't too angry at her.

"I need you to call the group at my place. Let them know we're okay. Tell them what happened and tell them they can stay as long as the need to. Also tell them they can come down here and visit if they want to, but it's not something they have to do."

"Ok, what's the second thing?" she asked.

"Shelby, I want you to get a phone number for a New York City lawyer. The best you can find. I don't care about the cost, just get the best. We're gonna win this thing, and we need all the help we can get."

"Scott, I don't have that kind of money....." she started.

"Yeah, well, I do." He said

"From where?!" she asked a little surprised.

"I don't need you to worry about this right now. Just do those two things for me and I'll let you in on my gold mine later. Hurry."

He commanded her.

"Ok, Scott. I hope you're right about this." she said and ran off.

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Shelby put 35 cents into the pay phone and dialed Scott's number. It rang a few times, but soon Daisy's voice broke the ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Dais? It's Shelby."

"Shelby, where are you?!" she said concernedly. "Is everything okay?"

"Pretty much yeah. Brad came home while we were in the house....there was some struggling and Scott got shot in the arm, but he's okay, so don't worry."

"And Brad?" she inquired.

"He's fine, unfortunately. He's here too......Scott shot him in the leg....."

"Alright, Scott!" Daisy laughed. "So, do you need anything?"

"Just to check in and tell you we're all alive. Scott said you guys can stay as long as you want, or if you want to come visit, you can do that too."

"Ok." Daisy said.

"How's Chelsea? Is she okay, I mean?" Shelby asked

"Yeah, she's fine. She's sleeping right now." Daisy confirmed Shelby's suspicion.

"As expected. Well, I'm running out on my call, so I'll give you a call later on. Maybe I'll even see you here.....who knows." Shelby said to Daisy with a slight chuckle to herself

"Ok. Bye, Shel."

"Bye, Dais." And they hung up the phone.

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After the phone call with Daisy, Shelby had called information and had gotten the number for "supposedly" the best lawyer in New York and he was willing to work on their case, but he was pricey, but Shelby found out, when she told Scott, he wasn't worried about the price.

"Are you sure this is alright. I mean, it's a lot of money, Scott."

"I can handle it." He said. She gave him a raise of the eyebrows. "I can handle it!" he insisted.

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A few days later when Scott was permitted to leave the hospital he went on a solo mission to Birmingham, and wouldn't tell Shelby why. She didn't follow him but it would have been a good idea. She realized this after it was too late, and he had already left.

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Martin Barringer walked into his office. He had characteristically been working hard and was relieved to see his desk, but he was intimidated when he saw that the swivel chair that sat behind it was facing the wall.

"How did you get in here without an appointment with my secretary?" he said with an alarmed tone, standing in the doorway. The chair swiveled around revealing Scott.

"I told her I was your son. Imagine that."

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Okay....I'm asking for 10 reviews. Find out next chapter if Scott gets the money he needs and some other stuff.....................................................