World Turned Black

I ONLY OWN MY CHARACTERS!

a/n -i've been dying to get this up since saturday...lol hope you like it:-)

Chapter 20

Scott lay on his bed, his eyes puffy and red, while his breathe was shaky. He closed his eyes tightly, having the days events go through his mind.

Flashback

Peter continued to hug Scott until he stopped crying, he had run out of tears for the moment. Scott backed out of Peter's hold; he didn't know what to do. There he stood, in the middle of the office, his secret out; Scott felt naked, he no longer had walls to hide behind, he was completely out in the open.

Peter watched as Scott walked silently over to a wall and slowly slid down it. He hugged his knees and laid his head down. Peter sat down next to him, "What are you thinking about?" He asked quietly

Scott turned to look at him, "I'm sorry, really I am," He took a deep breathe, "I don't think I can do it Peter, not again, I'm sorry, I just can't."

Peter placed a hand on his shoulder, "Yes Scott, yes you can, I know you can."

"What if they don't believe me again, he'll come back, he'll kill me just like he said he would!"

"Scott, no matter what you will be safe, I won't let anything happen to you."

Scott put his head back down, they were both quiet, Peter knew Scott was thinking, ten minutes later, Peter heard Scott's muffled voice.

"Make the call."

Peter just patted his shoulder and said, "I'm proud of you Scott, I know this is one of the hardest things you may ever do, but you are doing it. I'll be there with you each step of the way, you're not alone."

"Just call them Peter."

"Alright." He said and stood up slowly, making his way to the phone.

After Peter hung up he squatted in front of Scott, "They'll be here in a little while."

Scott just nodded his buried head, before Peter could speak, there was a knock at the door.

Peter looked at the door confused; no one was supposed to be there, "I'll be right back." Peter said to Scott.

He walked over to the door and stepped through it, closing the door behind him, when he looked at the person who had knocked, it was Shelby.

"Shelby what are you doing here?"

"How is he?"

"Shelby, you didn't answer my question, what are you doing here?"

"Scott wrote me a note, right after his father came, he left it on his seat when you came to get him. Peter that's where he got the bruises from, Peter it was his father the whole time!"

"I know Shelby."

She looked slightly shocked, "You do?"

"Yes, Scott is going to talk to CPS, everything's going to be fine. Shelby you need to go back to class."

"Peter please let me see him!"

"I think it will be best for him to not have any visitors right now."

"Peter that's bullshit and you know it!" Shelby yelled

"Shelby watch your mouth!"

"No Peter, you know he can't do this alone!"

"He's not doing this alone Shelby, I'm not saying that you should give up on him, just give him some time."

"Peter, I can't just…" She was interrupted by the door behind Peter opening.

They both looked to see Scott standing there watching them. Shelby walked past Peter and wrapped her arms around Scott's neck, he responded, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Seeing as Scott wanted her there, Peter allowed Shelby to sit with them and wait, first she had to tell Sophie, whose class she had left. They sat mainly in silence, none of them knowing exactly what to say to ease Scott's pain.

After an hour and a half of waiting, there was another knock at the door. Peter looked at Scott, "Ready?"

Scott just nodded and Peter opened the door. A man in his late thirty's walked in, he had brown hair and green eyes, he held his hand out to Peter.

"Mr. Scarbrow?"

"Yes, Peter please."

"Hello, I'm Josh, from Child Protective Services."

"Yes of course, come on in."

He walked in and looked at the two teenagers sitting on a couch, "Scott?" The boy looked up at him, despair written in his eyes, "Would you like to start?"

Scott just nodded. As Josh set up the video camera, Shelby told Scott good luck and that she would find him later. She hugged him once more, and walked out the door. Peter would stay with Scott just as he had promised.

"Alright, let's get started," Josh started playing the camera as Scott took a seat in front of it, "This is child protective services, case no. 54806. Please state your name."

Scott took a deep breathe, here we go again he thought, then said, "Scott Barringer."

"Your parents are divorced and your father has custody, correct?"

"My uh…my mother is umm…she's dead." Scott said, his voice beginning to fail him

Josh looked uncomfortable for a moment, "I'm sorry."

Scott just nodded again, "But yea, I live with my father normally."

"Ok and why have you called us today?"

"He…They both…They both have been abusing me." Scott said in a whisper

"Who are you talking about?"

"My father and stepmother."

"And how have they been abusing you?"

"My stepmother has been sexually abusing me," Scott took a moment and looked down, talking about what Elaine did was the easy part, he had done it before. It was admitting about his father that was catching his voice, "My dad…" His eyes filled with tears.

Peter seeing Scott start to become emotional again said, "It's ok Scott, just take your time, take as much time as you need."

A tear fell from Scott's eye and dropped on the sweatshirt he was wearing. When he spoke, his voice was full of emotion, "My dad has been beating me up." Another tear fell.

Josh nodded his head, "How long has the abuse been taking place?"

"When I went home for the summer."

"How long ago was that?"

"Three months."

"When was the first time it started?"

"Umm…It was after he brought Elaine back."

"Elaine?"

"My stepmother."

"You have previous complaints about her, are you still saying that she abuses you?"

"Yes, no one ever asked me why I wrote them, the case was just dropped because someone assumed I loved her."

"Then why did you write the letters?"

"She…she always wanted me to say things to her that my dad would say, but when I couldn't she told me to write them down."

Scott was trying as hard as he could to hold the tears burning behind his eyes back.

"Do you have proof of any abuse?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Umm…when they came to take me to lunch one day…uh…they brought me to a hotel room, my dad…he…he started to hit me," The memories made some of the tears fall, "I uh…all I remember is hitting my head…When I woke up…"

"What happened Scott?"

"I was laying in one of the beds and I only…"More tears began to fall, he was trying as hard as possible to keep them back, "I was only in my boxers, I couldn't breathe well, and there was a lot of blood."

"So I take it that is where all the bruises and the broken arm are from?"

Scott nodded looking down

"Is there anything else?"

Scott looked at Peter who just nodded in support, "Yea…there's a…a umm…tape recorder."

Josh looked at Peter who grabbed a little black tape recorder off his desk, he handed it to Josh who stared at it for a second before pressing play.

Scott finally lost it, as he listened to the tape of his father, the man who was supposed to love him unconditionally, threaten and hit him; he lost the strength to hold the tears. By the end of the tape, when Josh pressed stop, Scott was crying uncontrollably. Josh sat silently, but Peter sat down next to him and again just hugged him.

He started to quietly speak to him, "Its ok Scott, let it out."

Scott was tired, he was tired of being afraid, he calmed down slightly and so Peter took his seat off to the side again. Scott looked up to Josh.

"Scott, you did a very good job, I know this was incredibly difficult for you, but I want to let you know that with all the documented proof, your case has a very good chance."

"Thank you for coming." Scott whispered

"It was no problem." He said and began to put away the camera

Scott looked at Peter, "Could I go to my dorm, I want to lie down."

"Sure, go ahead." Peter nodded

As Scott walked out of the room, out of the building, he felt as though he couldn't get to the dorm quick enough, so he started running. Scott ran as fast as he could to the dorm, he ran from the office, from his fears, from his father.

He ran up the stairs and into the dorm and to his bed. Scott lay on his stomach on top of his bed; he buried his head in his pillow with his hands on top of his head. Again Scott cried, but now, with each tear he was letting go. Scott realized that it was finally over, Josh would help him, Peter and Shelby and the rest of the Cliffhangers would be there for him.

End Flashback

Again the tears were gone, but this time, Scott didn't feel as though they would be back, he didn't feel as though he would need them.

When he heard the dorm door slam shut, he opened his eyes and watched as Shelby walked towards him. She walked over to him, "Hey."

"Hey." He said back

"Told you I'd find you." She smiled and laid down on the bed next to him.

He just smiled and she took his hand and began playing with it. They sat in silence saying nothing and yet everything to each other. Finally Shelby looked to her left at Scott who looked back at her.

"Are you ok?" She asked with a soothing voice

"No," He said shaking his head and looking away, "But I will be." He looked back up and smiled slightly.

The End

(a/n) How much do you want to cry right now lol j/k. I'm so upset it's over, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed for this story, it has been a lot of fun writing it! Please, everyone review for this last, final chapter! lol Again, Thank you so much for everyone who's read this story and supported it!