A/N Hullo.... I am predicting only a couple of more chapters for this story, and then once its finished, I can work on my other two.... Or three....
Thank you, Melluvben, mz.sarJe, Melanie, Anna, Katie, urangel, Kari, mistymidnight and KaraBella for reviewing the last chapter!
Disclaimer: The fact that Joss doesn't mind us writing fanfiction makes me not want to write this disclaimer anymore....
Summary: Buffy's just a normal girl who's lost her way in the world, but what happens when another lost soul captures her heart, and refuses to give it back?
But It Feels So Right
Buffy once again found herself in a courtroom. The one she had seen in her dream, the one she had been in just eighteen hours ago. The only difference now, was that she knew what was going on. She was no longer confused by the people who stood all around her. Gunn, who was looking though all the papers over again. Her father and his lawyer taking over things, what she figured to be lies, and Angel sitting behind her, looking like he was more nervous to be here than she was.
She bit her lip, trying to remember her dream. Her mother had been there, and in her dream, her mother had been crying. Had Buffy made her cry? Why had she appeared, and what had Angel meant? Why didn't it make any sense?
She lowered her head, and covered her face with her hands, rubbing her temples. The judge was still yet to come out, and that made Buffy feel like she had some extra time to think.
She knew she would have to testify in front of her father's lawyer, and so was Angel, he would also have to answer all of Gunn's questions. They were planning to use Buffy's mother, but she wasn't here yet either. A couple of doctors, and one of the nurses from the LA General Hospital were there, sitting looking around the courtroom, like they had never seen one before. There was also one of her neighbors there, the one that had called the police the night Angel had saved her.
Ok Buffy, just stop thinking she told herself, Thinking will only make this harder to understand.
"All rise for the Honorable Judge Mathew." The bailiff said.
Everyone stood up, including the jurors, who were still looking as emotionless as they had the day before, as the Judge entered and took his seat.
"You may sit." He said.
And everyone did, save for Gunn, who remained standing, folder in his hand, ready to begin the case.
Judge Mathew nodded at him, and Gunn began to speak, laying out a list of witnesses he had found that supported Buffy's case. He restated most of the things he had said back on the first day in court, and then preceded to call his first witness.
"Mr. Angelus O'Connor." He said, turning to Angel, and motioning for him to stand and make his way to the stand.
Before he was allowed to sit, the bailiff held out the bible for him. "Do you swear to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" he asked.
Angel said yes, and sat down, feeling nervous with all the eyes in the courtroom on him, including Buffy's. She was looking at him with the utmost regret in her eyes, sorry for making him do this for her.
Gunn stood before Angel, pacing back and fourth before he stopped and looked at him.
"Mr. O'Connor, is it true you and Miss. Summers are close?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"So, you are in a relationship with her."
"I am."
"Are you aware of any abuse to Miss. Summers."
"Yes sir."
"Can you explain, or tell the court when you first noticed the abuse?" Gunn asked.
Angel looked at Buffy, then back to Gunn. "I can." He started, "About a week after I met Buffy, she came to school with large bruises on her arms that she hadn't had the day before."
"Now, is this the only time you have seem her with bruises?"
"No."
"Have you witnessed any of the abuse?"
"I have."
"Can you tell us what happened?"
Angel took a deep breath. "After I dropped Buffy off at home, I waited in my car until she got inside the house. I was about to leave when I heard a scream. I immediately got out of my car, and ran inside." He paused, and a look of pain flashed on his face as he remembered, vividly, what had happened that night.
"Her father had her in the corner, and he was holding his belt in his hand. She had new bruises on her body, and belt marks across her faces that were visible to me." He said.
Gunn nodded, "Is this the only time you witnessed the abuse first hand?"
"Yes sir."
"Can you explain what happened afterward?"
"I brought Buffy back to my house after we talked to the police about what happened."
"How did the police get there?"
"The neighbors heard the commotion and call them."
"No further questions." Gunn said, and Angel looked relieved, until Hank's lawyer stood up.
"I have some questions if that's alright with you, your Honor." He said, the judge nodded at him, and he stepped out from behind his desk to stand in front of Angel.
Gunn said down back in his seat next to Buffy, who gave him a pleading look. What was going on? She wasn't aware that this was allowed to happen.
"Mr. O'Connor. You told the court you have a relationship with Miss Summers, is that correct?"
"It is." Angel told him, wondering what this guy was going to pull.
"So, how far would you say your relationship with her has gone?"
Angel was about to answer, only because he knew he was under oath, when Gunn spoke up.
"Objection." He said, and the judge looked at him.
"On what grounds?"
"Relativity of the question." Gunn said, standing.
The Judge nodded, agreeing with Gunn, and looked at Hank's Lawyer. "Next question."
"Right." He looked from the Judge to Angel. "Now, you said you had intervened with the ill edged abuse. But before this, had you ever met Mr. Summers?"
"I had not."
"Than what gave you the idea, that this was ongoing, or that you had jumped in during abuse, and not just a normal house hold argument?"
"Before the night I took Buffy home, during school, she had bruises all over her body. And, if in fact what you are implying sir that hitting your daughter with a belt is a normal household argument, then I would have to say I did interrupt one." Angel said, looking at this man with extreme dislike.
The lawyer cringed, before getting an idea. "You said you took Buffy home, so where had she been that you had to bring her home?"
"She was staying at my house."
"Did her mother or father know of this?"
"No, they did not."
"So, you took their daughter into your home, without informing anyone in her family?" he asked, and when Angel stayed silent, he added a comment, "Sounds like kidnapping to me."
"Objection!" Gunn practically yelled.
This time the judge didn't even question the grounds, knowing fully what this other lawyer was trying to do. He looked down at Hank's lawyer and said, "Keep you assumptions to yourself, and if you are done questioning the witness...."
"I am, your Honor." He said, and moved to sit down.
The bailiff walked up to Angel, and let him go back to his seat behind Buffy, who seemed more than angry at the moment. She was fuming.
A kidnapping!? Taking someone into your home and helping them, is kidnapping now!? Buffy thought, gritting her teeth as Gunn stood up again. She didn't notice the calling of the next three witnesses, nor did she pay attention to the questioning, too busy wondering about how a man like that could be called a lawyer.
She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Angel had told her that Gunn had mentioned other lawyers doing things like that to win the case, but she hadn't imagined that it would take place in her case. She never knew this was going to be so hard.
"Miss Summers?" Gunn's voice came, Buffy barely heard it. "Buffy?"
she shook herself out of her daze, and looked up at Gunn. He motioned for her to stand up and she did.
"Please approach the stand, Miss Summers." Hank's lawyer said, and Buffy swallowed. She didn't think she was actually going to testify.
She stood up, and walked to the stand, taking her oath before sitting down, and looked at everyone in the room.
Her father's lawyer stood in front of her. She almost glared at him, but thought better of it, and remained emotionless as he began to question her.
"Miss Summers." He began, "Is it true that you left your parents' house without them knowing, and stayed away for almost a week."
"Yes."
"And is it true that you stayed with a Mr. Angelus O'Connor?"
"Yes."
"In all that time there, did you once think of what was going through your parents' minds?"
"No."
"So, you didn't care that they might have been worried about you."
Buffy was about to answer, when Gunn's voice once again rang out in the court room, "Objection, Your Honor."
"Again, Mr. Gunn, on what grounds." The Judge asked, looking down at him.
"He's leading my client." Gunn said, standing, and looking up at the judge.
"Over ruled." The judge looked at Hank's Lawyer, "Move it along."
Buffy inwardly sighed, she didn't want to have to answer that question, nor anymore questions so she hoped that this would be over soon.
"No further questions." The Lawyer said, sounding a little bit annoyed.
The bailiff helped Buffy down from the stand and she returned to her seat, just as Gunn called the next witness. Her mother.
Buffy's breath caught in her throat. Her mother was wearing the blue outfit she had been wearing in Buffy's dream the night before, and she looked scared, looking the way Buffy had felt before her testimony was over.
Gun paced in front of the stand after Joyce had been sworn in, thinking of the questions he would have to ask.
"Mrs. Summers, Joyce if I may." He said, and she nodded, "Have you ever witnessed any signs of physical abuse, or abuse itself on your daughter."
"Yes." Joyce looked as if she were holding back tears.
"And you never did anything to alert authorities?"
"No."
Gunn nodded, "Even though it was your own daught-" Gunn didn't get to finish.
"Objection. He's leading the witness." He heard Hank's lawyer call.
The judge looked at Gunn, and nodded in agreement. "Move it along, Mr. Gunn."
Gunn looked at Mrs. Summers, then changed questions. "Why is it you never reported any of this abuse?"
Joyce hesitated, then remembered, if Buffy won, she had nothing to worry about. "I was afraid." She told Gunn.
"And why was that."
"My husband threatened me. Told me he would kill me if I told anyone."
"No further questions." Gunn said, and he went to sit back down.
Buffy's mom had tears streaming down her face when she stepped down off the stand and returned to her seat. Not only would Hank not be able to touch her or her daughter when this was over, (That was the good part) but, if Buffy won, Joyce was pretty sure she'd lose custody of her child as well.
Joyce had been the last witness, and the jury called a recess to look over witness accounts, and files of the case to reach their verdict. As it turned out, Buffy would be returning to court the next day, whether she wanted to or not.
It killed her that they couldn't just give them the verdict now, and let the case rest. It was bad that she had to go one more day without knowing if she could finally be free of the life she had been, painfully, forced to live for the last few of years of her life. But if that's what it took, she could wait. And right now, she wasn't really thinking she had a choice in that anyway.
Thank you, Melluvben, mz.sarJe, Melanie, Anna, Katie, urangel, Kari, mistymidnight and KaraBella for reviewing the last chapter!
Disclaimer: The fact that Joss doesn't mind us writing fanfiction makes me not want to write this disclaimer anymore....
Summary: Buffy's just a normal girl who's lost her way in the world, but what happens when another lost soul captures her heart, and refuses to give it back?
But It Feels So Right
Buffy once again found herself in a courtroom. The one she had seen in her dream, the one she had been in just eighteen hours ago. The only difference now, was that she knew what was going on. She was no longer confused by the people who stood all around her. Gunn, who was looking though all the papers over again. Her father and his lawyer taking over things, what she figured to be lies, and Angel sitting behind her, looking like he was more nervous to be here than she was.
She bit her lip, trying to remember her dream. Her mother had been there, and in her dream, her mother had been crying. Had Buffy made her cry? Why had she appeared, and what had Angel meant? Why didn't it make any sense?
She lowered her head, and covered her face with her hands, rubbing her temples. The judge was still yet to come out, and that made Buffy feel like she had some extra time to think.
She knew she would have to testify in front of her father's lawyer, and so was Angel, he would also have to answer all of Gunn's questions. They were planning to use Buffy's mother, but she wasn't here yet either. A couple of doctors, and one of the nurses from the LA General Hospital were there, sitting looking around the courtroom, like they had never seen one before. There was also one of her neighbors there, the one that had called the police the night Angel had saved her.
Ok Buffy, just stop thinking she told herself, Thinking will only make this harder to understand.
"All rise for the Honorable Judge Mathew." The bailiff said.
Everyone stood up, including the jurors, who were still looking as emotionless as they had the day before, as the Judge entered and took his seat.
"You may sit." He said.
And everyone did, save for Gunn, who remained standing, folder in his hand, ready to begin the case.
Judge Mathew nodded at him, and Gunn began to speak, laying out a list of witnesses he had found that supported Buffy's case. He restated most of the things he had said back on the first day in court, and then preceded to call his first witness.
"Mr. Angelus O'Connor." He said, turning to Angel, and motioning for him to stand and make his way to the stand.
Before he was allowed to sit, the bailiff held out the bible for him. "Do you swear to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" he asked.
Angel said yes, and sat down, feeling nervous with all the eyes in the courtroom on him, including Buffy's. She was looking at him with the utmost regret in her eyes, sorry for making him do this for her.
Gunn stood before Angel, pacing back and fourth before he stopped and looked at him.
"Mr. O'Connor, is it true you and Miss. Summers are close?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"So, you are in a relationship with her."
"I am."
"Are you aware of any abuse to Miss. Summers."
"Yes sir."
"Can you explain, or tell the court when you first noticed the abuse?" Gunn asked.
Angel looked at Buffy, then back to Gunn. "I can." He started, "About a week after I met Buffy, she came to school with large bruises on her arms that she hadn't had the day before."
"Now, is this the only time you have seem her with bruises?"
"No."
"Have you witnessed any of the abuse?"
"I have."
"Can you tell us what happened?"
Angel took a deep breath. "After I dropped Buffy off at home, I waited in my car until she got inside the house. I was about to leave when I heard a scream. I immediately got out of my car, and ran inside." He paused, and a look of pain flashed on his face as he remembered, vividly, what had happened that night.
"Her father had her in the corner, and he was holding his belt in his hand. She had new bruises on her body, and belt marks across her faces that were visible to me." He said.
Gunn nodded, "Is this the only time you witnessed the abuse first hand?"
"Yes sir."
"Can you explain what happened afterward?"
"I brought Buffy back to my house after we talked to the police about what happened."
"How did the police get there?"
"The neighbors heard the commotion and call them."
"No further questions." Gunn said, and Angel looked relieved, until Hank's lawyer stood up.
"I have some questions if that's alright with you, your Honor." He said, the judge nodded at him, and he stepped out from behind his desk to stand in front of Angel.
Gunn said down back in his seat next to Buffy, who gave him a pleading look. What was going on? She wasn't aware that this was allowed to happen.
"Mr. O'Connor. You told the court you have a relationship with Miss Summers, is that correct?"
"It is." Angel told him, wondering what this guy was going to pull.
"So, how far would you say your relationship with her has gone?"
Angel was about to answer, only because he knew he was under oath, when Gunn spoke up.
"Objection." He said, and the judge looked at him.
"On what grounds?"
"Relativity of the question." Gunn said, standing.
The Judge nodded, agreeing with Gunn, and looked at Hank's Lawyer. "Next question."
"Right." He looked from the Judge to Angel. "Now, you said you had intervened with the ill edged abuse. But before this, had you ever met Mr. Summers?"
"I had not."
"Than what gave you the idea, that this was ongoing, or that you had jumped in during abuse, and not just a normal house hold argument?"
"Before the night I took Buffy home, during school, she had bruises all over her body. And, if in fact what you are implying sir that hitting your daughter with a belt is a normal household argument, then I would have to say I did interrupt one." Angel said, looking at this man with extreme dislike.
The lawyer cringed, before getting an idea. "You said you took Buffy home, so where had she been that you had to bring her home?"
"She was staying at my house."
"Did her mother or father know of this?"
"No, they did not."
"So, you took their daughter into your home, without informing anyone in her family?" he asked, and when Angel stayed silent, he added a comment, "Sounds like kidnapping to me."
"Objection!" Gunn practically yelled.
This time the judge didn't even question the grounds, knowing fully what this other lawyer was trying to do. He looked down at Hank's lawyer and said, "Keep you assumptions to yourself, and if you are done questioning the witness...."
"I am, your Honor." He said, and moved to sit down.
The bailiff walked up to Angel, and let him go back to his seat behind Buffy, who seemed more than angry at the moment. She was fuming.
A kidnapping!? Taking someone into your home and helping them, is kidnapping now!? Buffy thought, gritting her teeth as Gunn stood up again. She didn't notice the calling of the next three witnesses, nor did she pay attention to the questioning, too busy wondering about how a man like that could be called a lawyer.
She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Angel had told her that Gunn had mentioned other lawyers doing things like that to win the case, but she hadn't imagined that it would take place in her case. She never knew this was going to be so hard.
"Miss Summers?" Gunn's voice came, Buffy barely heard it. "Buffy?"
she shook herself out of her daze, and looked up at Gunn. He motioned for her to stand up and she did.
"Please approach the stand, Miss Summers." Hank's lawyer said, and Buffy swallowed. She didn't think she was actually going to testify.
She stood up, and walked to the stand, taking her oath before sitting down, and looked at everyone in the room.
Her father's lawyer stood in front of her. She almost glared at him, but thought better of it, and remained emotionless as he began to question her.
"Miss Summers." He began, "Is it true that you left your parents' house without them knowing, and stayed away for almost a week."
"Yes."
"And is it true that you stayed with a Mr. Angelus O'Connor?"
"Yes."
"In all that time there, did you once think of what was going through your parents' minds?"
"No."
"So, you didn't care that they might have been worried about you."
Buffy was about to answer, when Gunn's voice once again rang out in the court room, "Objection, Your Honor."
"Again, Mr. Gunn, on what grounds." The Judge asked, looking down at him.
"He's leading my client." Gunn said, standing, and looking up at the judge.
"Over ruled." The judge looked at Hank's Lawyer, "Move it along."
Buffy inwardly sighed, she didn't want to have to answer that question, nor anymore questions so she hoped that this would be over soon.
"No further questions." The Lawyer said, sounding a little bit annoyed.
The bailiff helped Buffy down from the stand and she returned to her seat, just as Gunn called the next witness. Her mother.
Buffy's breath caught in her throat. Her mother was wearing the blue outfit she had been wearing in Buffy's dream the night before, and she looked scared, looking the way Buffy had felt before her testimony was over.
Gun paced in front of the stand after Joyce had been sworn in, thinking of the questions he would have to ask.
"Mrs. Summers, Joyce if I may." He said, and she nodded, "Have you ever witnessed any signs of physical abuse, or abuse itself on your daughter."
"Yes." Joyce looked as if she were holding back tears.
"And you never did anything to alert authorities?"
"No."
Gunn nodded, "Even though it was your own daught-" Gunn didn't get to finish.
"Objection. He's leading the witness." He heard Hank's lawyer call.
The judge looked at Gunn, and nodded in agreement. "Move it along, Mr. Gunn."
Gunn looked at Mrs. Summers, then changed questions. "Why is it you never reported any of this abuse?"
Joyce hesitated, then remembered, if Buffy won, she had nothing to worry about. "I was afraid." She told Gunn.
"And why was that."
"My husband threatened me. Told me he would kill me if I told anyone."
"No further questions." Gunn said, and he went to sit back down.
Buffy's mom had tears streaming down her face when she stepped down off the stand and returned to her seat. Not only would Hank not be able to touch her or her daughter when this was over, (That was the good part) but, if Buffy won, Joyce was pretty sure she'd lose custody of her child as well.
Joyce had been the last witness, and the jury called a recess to look over witness accounts, and files of the case to reach their verdict. As it turned out, Buffy would be returning to court the next day, whether she wanted to or not.
It killed her that they couldn't just give them the verdict now, and let the case rest. It was bad that she had to go one more day without knowing if she could finally be free of the life she had been, painfully, forced to live for the last few of years of her life. But if that's what it took, she could wait. And right now, she wasn't really thinking she had a choice in that anyway.