Disclaimer: It's the same as always. I don't own any of these characters except Faith, Doc and Brian. Got it? Good, now on with the story! By the way, Faith didn't break up with Brian.

Chpt 5: Getting Out

A MONTH AND A HALF LATER

"Mr. Richard Haywood we will let you off with a heavy probation. Your probation officer will meet with you after court. So you will be staying where Mr. Haywood?" The judge questioned.

"I haven't really thought about any of that." Richard answered.

"He can stay with me your honor." Faith stood up in the court room.

"And you would be?" He looked at her skeptically.

"I am Faith Evans, a close friend of Mr. Haywood's."

"Very well, you may keep an eye on Richard. I am handing you all responsibility to him. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Ok with that all taken care of, you may leave." Faith walked over to where Richard was.

"You know you don't have to do this." Richard said holding onto her hands.

"I know but I want to. Come on lets go home."

"Home, that's a word I'll have to get used to." Richard smiled and left the court house with Faith.

After meeting with Michael Murdock, Richard's P.O., they drove to Faith's house. Luckily her parents weren't home so she had time to call them and let them know what was going on. Her mom didn't care, probably too drunk to even understand. Faith's dad on the other had hated the idea, but he said they would discuss it at home. Faith walked out to the pool and sat in a chair watching Richard doing laps. God he's so different now. So much older and even cuter than I remember. Oh geez what am I thinking? Faith stop. This is Richard, childhood friend, ice cream stealer Richard, tree house Richard. I'm crushing on him.

"Having fun watching me?" Richard snapped Faith out of her thoughts. He got out of the pool and grabbed a towel that was hanging near by.

"Hmm? Oh I was just thinking that's all." She sat straighter in her chair while trying to not be noticed as she checked out his abs.

"Must have been something pretty good. I only called you name a few times." He sat down in a chair next to her and grinned at her, drying off his hair.

"Yea, it was something pretty good. Remember that tree house?"

"Yeah what about it?"

"What would you say if I told you that it's still up and it could hold our weight?"

"I'd say you're crazy."

"Come on." Faith stood up and extended her hand. He hesitantly took and she pulled him with her as she raced across the yard and into the little bit of woods behind her house. A few steps into the woods she stopped in front of an old tree. Richard looked up and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Faith let go of his hand and stood in front of the ladder.

"I'm not going up there." He said. Faith started climbing.

"Awww. Your going to leave me all alone up here? You know its starting to get dark." By this time she had already gotten up there and lifted the trap door and climbed in.

"Faith come back down here." Faith didn't answer and he started getting a little worried. He climbed up the later and looked in. It was too dark to see anything.

"Faith?" He climbed the rest of the way in and saw her by the little window looking out to her house.

"I remember coming out here when my dad would be in one of his moods and you'd stay here all night with me. We'd just lie here on the wood with nothing but one blanket. You just hold me and tell me everything would be alright. You'd stay up until I fell asleep. Then I'd go home the next day and… I hated going home. I always dreaded it because I knew what was going to happen. How mad daddy would be and mom would just walk away knowing if she tried to stop him, he'd hit her too." Faith started crying and hid her face. Richard climbed closer to her and held on to her. Faith turned into his hug and buried her face into his bare chest letting her tears fall onto his cool skin.

"I know, I know. But you don't have to worry anymore because I wont let him hit you anymore."

Okay that's it for this chapter, its getting late and I'm tired. I'll get another one up soon.