"It's going to be okay. It's just closing statements."
"I know," Catherine nodded. "We'll just go, listen to them sum it up, and go and get ice-cream with Lindsey."
"Exactly," Gil assured her, squeezing her hand. "You and me, and Lindsey."
She hugged him gently, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Let's go then."
Judge Kincaid watched as Stan Graves lawyer stood up.
"Stanley Graves cannot be held responsible for the actions of his brother. As the saying goes, we can choose our friends, but not our family. It is not Stanley Graves' fault that his brother raped and left Catherine Willows for dead. He is not a mind reader, nor a Superman that can save everyone in the world. He has worked with Ms Willows before, and there has never been any trouble, either from him or his brother. This was merely a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is why you must find Stanley Graves innocent of all charges."
Catherine glanced up at Gil as she heard him snort in derision. He caught her looking at him and smiled slightly.
"Well, it's not my fault that sounded like a soap opera."
Catherine snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder as he tightened his arms around her.
Dale Graves' lawyer stood up. He walked over to the jury, standing beside them. His eyes wandered onto Catherine, then back onto Dale. "Ladies and gentlemen, the only thing my client is guilty of is picking the wrong woman to have sex with. We've all seen this before. A couple who has rough sex, the woman later thinks it was a bad idea, and decides to cry rape."
Gil quickly pulled Catherine closer as he felt her tense in his arms.
"My client does not deny having sex with Ms. Willows. He admitted it was rough sex. But really, rape is going a bit far." The lawyer pointed toward Catherine. "Look at her now. Already got herself another guy."
"OBJECTION!" Jennifer Cowen cried, jumping up.
Judge Kincaid glared at Dale's lawyer. "Don't make me caution you again."
"It's okay, sweetheart," Gil whispered into Catherine's ear. "It's okay."
Dale's lawyer nodded, deciding it might be safer to wrap things up. "Dale Graves is guilty of having sex. Nothing more."
Jennifer Cowen stood up. "Catherine Willows was the victim of a heinous crime. Dale Graves raped her, beat her, and left her for dead. She should be applauded for fighting back from such a brutal crime. The evidence you have seen during this trial has clearly implicated no one else but Dale Graves as the rapist and attempted murderer, and Stanley Graves as co-conspirator. Stanley Grave is an officer of the law, required to serve and protect. He did not do this in the case of Catherine Willows. He stood back and allowed his brother to commit a vicious act against her. He had both a weapon and a radio, but instead, he stood aside. That makes him guilty of conspiracy to rape and attempted murder." She turned to look at Dale. "As for Dale Graves, he has been identified and proven through forensic evidence and witness testimony, to be the man that raped and attempted to murder Ms Willows. You all saw the marks of his attack, the evidence of his attack. And Ms Willows herself, faced her attacker and told everyone exactly what he did to her, showing tremendous courage." Jennifer turned back to the jury. "As officers of this court, you can have no choice but to find Stanley Graves guilty of conspiracy to rape and attempted murder, and Dale Graves guilty of rape and attempted murder."
"Waiting sucks," Lindsey declared, spooning some of her ice cream in her mouth.
"Amen to that," Catherine replied, staring listlessly at her own concoction.
Lindsey glanced at Gil, her eyes gesturing towards her mother. Gil grinned at the girl's obvious anxiousness to help.
"Cath?" he said, his hand gently rubbing her back.
"Mhm?" she said, turning to look at him.
"It could be a while. Before they reach a verdict."
"If any of them have any sense, they'll have known the verdict before they went into that room."
Lindsey grinned. "I totally agree, mom."
Gil's hand gently continued to rub Catherine's back. He needed to reassure himself that she wasn't in too much pain, and that she was handling things well. "Hey, Lindsey, I'm just going to steal your mom a moment. I need some air."
Lindsey nodded, too engrossed in conquering her ice cream mountain.
"What is it?" Catherine asked, when they had found a quiet spot by a tree.
"I…I just wanted to make sure you were alright?"
Catherine smiled softly at him. "They can't hurt me anymore. You showed me that."
Gil smiled back, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Let's go back in," Catherine said. "Before my ice cream melts."
"Cath?"
"Yeah?"
"I want to plan a trip. You, me and Lindsey. When this is all over. Okay?"
She grinned. "Okay."
The jury was still out that night, and Gil had taken his two girls home. After much protesting, Lindsey had finally agreed to go to bed, and now Catherine and Gil lay in their bed.
The lights were off, but both were still wide-awake.
"What do you think they're thinking in there?" Catherine murmured, her hand resting on Gil's chest.
"About how beautiful you were," Gil mumbled, his lips gently kissing the top of her head.
"I think you're biased," she told him.
"Just honest." He heard her sigh and he smiled, caressing her hair. "Alright, I think they're looking at the evidence and the testimonies."
"It would help if I knew what the bastards had said."
Gil looked at her. "You're not regretting the fact we didn't go, are you?"
Catherine smiled softly at him. "The truth? No. I don't."
"I'm glad."
"I'm also not regretting the fact that we talked with Philip."
"I'm also glad about that."
"I love you, Gil."
He smiled down at her, taking her hand in his and kissing it. "I know. I love you too."
"Our lives are eventually going to return to normal, right?"
"When have our lives ever been normal?"
She rolled her eyes. "I meant…BTR."
Gil didn't have to ask her what the acronym meant. He could guess. "I don't know, Cath. I want to say, yes, definitely, nothing will ever change. But life is about change."
"I want to be a normal person again. I want to forget the attack ever happened. Then sometimes I'm grateful for it, because it gave me you."
Gil caressed her cheek. "We would have found our way to each other eventually, Cath. I just wish you hadn't had to go through all that pain."
Catherine snuggled closer. "I wish I hadn't either." She paused. "Gil? What's going to happen if they let them go?"
"That won't happen, Cath."
"You can't know that."
"Catherine, the jurors aren't blind or deaf. They heard the evidence. They saw you."
"That's exactly my point," Catherine replied. "They saw me. The…"
Gil put a hand over her mouth, moving so that he could look her in the eye. "Don't say it. Don't even think it. You've talked to Philip. You know what I think…what those around you think. I love you, Catherine Willows. And I swear to you, that those men will never hurt your or anyone ever again." His eyes locked with hers. "I promise."
She paused for a moment. "You can't make that kind of promise, Gil."
"I can, and I am." He caressed her cheek. "I've never broken a promise to you before, have I?"
"No."
"Well I'm not about to start now." Gil pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Sleep, baby. I'll take care of you. I promise."
Feeling safe in his arms, Catherine slowly drifted off to sleep.
Gil stayed awake, holding her tight. He looked up at the ceiling. "Please don't make me break my promise."
TBC