A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I really appreciate it. I want to warn you upfront that this storyline could have some triggers because it does deal with a sensitive topic. Remember what work the Miranda Center does before proceeding. Please read the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Once the couple was settled in bed, Bianca turned to Marissa. She knew her wife had been holding something back earlier in the evening, and she was going to get to the bottom of it. "Okay, spill it. When Nora was talking earlier about the other victims possibly reaching out to you to represent them, you held back. Why?"

Marissa simply smiled because of course Bianca knew she was holding something back. "I have to run it by the other partners first, and more importantly, I wanted to talk with you about it before I made any type of commitment."

"Do you want to represent them?"

"Yes, I do. I believe I can help them."

"Well, that's your answer."

"It's not that simple, B."

"Of course it is, but explain to me why you think it isn't."

"Because it's not just about me. It's about our family."

"How so?"

"When you have multiple victims, the best way, usually, to handle their cases is to combine them into a class action lawsuit, and they can be a great deal of work. They can also, for better or worse, garner a lot of media attention. That means, as their lawyer, I'll be out there in front of the media, a lot."

A light went on for Bianca, and she understood her wife's hesitance. "Ah. I get it. You're worried about us, and how we'll be affected by all of this."

Marissa nodded. "Yes, I am. I mean, I can't help but worry. You know how people can be. I don't want my job to negatively impact you or the kids. My family is, and always will be, my priority."

Bianca smiled. "I know, and I feel the same way. The kids know where they stand with you and me. Do you want my opinion?"

"Always."

"I think you should talk with the other victims. If, after talking with them, you want to represent them, I say go for it. As for the kids, we'll talk with them in the morning and explain things. I don't think anyone will approach them about the case, but if it happens, we know that they will be safe at school because of the security that has been added due to incidents that have happened at other schools. We can always hire other security for outside of school if anything happens. If we take the necessary precautions, we'll all be good."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. So, what do you think?"

Marissa nodded. "I'll do it. I'll tell Nora to pass my information on to the other women. I will talk with Tessa about it as well."

"Good. There's something else though, isn't there?"

"You know me too well. I think we should give a heads up to our larger family. You know, your Mom, Kendall, and Greenlee. Jessica and Jo already know. I probably should mention something to Krystal as well. Obviously, I can't give them any details, but they should know in case they are approached by any reporters."

"That's a good idea. What about the firm as a whole?"

"We'll either call a meeting for the entire firm, or the partners will talk with each of their groups individually. That will be one of the topics in our meeting tomorrow. Either way, I'm going to talk with my team first."

"It sounds like a plan to me. You know, you can do this. I have every faith in you and your abilities. Not only do you care about your clients, but you are a damn good attorney. And I'm not just saying that because you're my wife, and I love you with all of my heart. I think about all of the cases you've handled. There have been some that have been extremely difficult, but you found a way to achieve the best possible outcome. They wouldn't have made you a partner if they didn't know how good you are and that you could do the job."

Marissa smiled. "You're my biggest cheerleader."

"Yep, and I always will be. Kind of like you're always mine." Bianca grinned.

"It's hard not to be. You're kind of amazing after all."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "I know you are, but what am I?"

Marissa laughed. "And people wonder where the kids get their sense of humor." The redhead turned serious. "Are you okay with everything that happened today?"

"Yes, I am. I do think it's best if I'm not there for the deposition or the interview. There is a possibility of a trigger because of the questioning."

"I understand, and I think that's a good idea. I'm proud of you for recognizing that possibility and admitting it. I know you want to help Tessa, and you will, but you need to take care of yourself as well."

"Thank you, and I promise that if things get to be too much that I'll tell you and take a step back."

"That is all I ask, and I'll be here for you, no matter what."

"I have no doubt about that, ever. You need to be sure you take care of yourself too, Rissa, and just so you know, I will do my part to make sure that you do. As you know, I'm not above enlisting others to help with that."

Marissa chuckled. "I know. Lisa and Ellie are more than willing to do whatever you ask."

"They are very smart women. Don't think that I know you won't be talking to Jan and Aya to help you keep an eye on me."

"Like you said, they are very smart women."

Bianca kissed her wife softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, always."

"Let's get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, it will." Marissa nodded and snuggled under the covers. A smile spread across her face when Bianca's arm wrapped around her waist as her wife spooned her. Both women were drained from the day's events and soon drifted off to sleep.

/

Bianca looked at her schedule for the day and saw that she had nearly an hour before her first meeting. That would give her more than enough time to make the calls she needed to make. She took a moment and reflected on what had happened at home that morning. Over breakfast, she and Marissa talked with the kids, and it had pretty much gone like she had thought it would. Marissa explained that there was a chance that she might have additional clients as a result of her work on Tessa's lawsuit. There was also the possibility that her work could draw media attention to her and the family. The couple wanted to make sure the kids would be okay. The kids said they would be and promised to let their Moms know if they were uncomfortable about anything associated with the case and if anyone approached them about it. After answering a few of their questions, Marissa and Danny headed to her office while Bianca drove AJ, Miranda, and Gabby to school. Due to Marissa's meeting with the partners, Bianca offered to call Erica, Kendall, Greenlee, and Krystal. With the plan she and Marissa had come up with in mind, Bianca picked up the phone to make the first call.

"Good morning, Binx! It's been a while."

"Good morning, Kendall. It's only been a couple days."

"I've still missed talking to you. How are you, Red, and the kids?"

"We're good. How are the Slaters?"

"Other than Lexie teething, we can't complain."

"I'm glad to hear that. I can get you some of Jessica's teething biscuits if you want."

"That would be wonderful and much appreciated by me and your niece."

"Consider it done."

"Thank you! Do you think I could pick them up tomorrow?"

"That shouldn't be problem. In fact, that brings me to the reason I'm calling."

"So, it wasn't just to hear my wonderful voice or the fact that you missed me and my sparkling personality?" Kendall smirked.

"Well, I did miss you and your voice, but your sparkling personality is debatable. There is a reason why you haven't heard from either Marissa or me. We want to explain, so we were wondering if you could join us for lunch tomorrow at our house."

"Oh. Hold on a sec while I check my calendar." Kendall had her answer a moment later. "I'm free."

"Excellent. Could you do me a favor and see if Greenlee is free as well?"

"Sure, I'll be happy to. Care to give me a preview?"

"It's about a case that Rissa is working on, and the Center is involved as well. Before you ask, I'm okay. Rissa is taking very good care of me."

"Good! Not that I think Red doesn't, because I have no doubt that she does. It's just good to have that confirmation."

"I understand. I'm like that with Zach."

"No surprise. So, Red has a big case?"

"Yes, she does, and we wanted to give you a heads up before it goes public and becomes common knowledge, so you can be prepared."

"That big?"

"Yes, that big."

"Wow. Okay, we'll be there."

"Thanks. I need to go. I need to call Mom and Krystal."

"Good luck. I'll see you tomorrow, Binx."

"See you tomorrow, Kendall."

/

Bianca disconnected the call with her sister and paused a moment before she called her mother.

Erica picked up right away. It was almost as if she was waiting for her youngest daughter's call. "Bianca, good morning."

"Good morning, Mom. How are you?"

"I'm well. How are you, Marissa, and the children?"

"We're doing good. The last couple of days have been busy though. I'm sure Uncle Jack has mentioned something to you about that."

"You would be correct, but only a little. He didn't go into detail, but he did say that Marissa had a new client with a complicated case. Jack told me he would be getting an update from Marissa this morning."

"Yes, they should be meeting right about now, and that is a pretty accurate statement about the case. The Center is helping her client as well."

That comment told Erica the nature of the case her daughter-in-law was working on. "And you?"

"I'm fine. I promise that I haven't been triggered. In fact, I've enlisted Jo to help, and she's already spoken with Rissa's client. The case is complicated and involves another jurisdiction."

"Is that so? Which jurisdiction?"

"Llanview."

"Excuse me, Bianca, but did you say Llanview?"

"I did. Rissa has reached out to Nora Buchanan as well as Viki Buchanan."

"Viki and Nora are involved?"

"Yes, and they are both in town. I know you have questions, and we'll answer what we can tomorrow. I wanted to let you know about Viki and Nora being in town however in case you run into them."

"Thank you. I would be curious if I saw them. You said you would answer questions tomorrow."

"Yes, Rissa and I would like you to come over to the house tomorrow for lunch. This conversation needs to be held in private."

"Of course, I will be there. Who else is invited?"

"Kendall, obviously. I just got off the phone with her. Greenlee is invited, and Kendall is going to talk to her for me. We are also including Krystal. This case could bring some media attention, and we want our families to be prepared."

"I understand, and that does make sense. You and Marissa most certainly can count on me for whatever you need."

"Thanks, Mom. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I will see you then, sweetheart."

/

"Good morning. This is Krystal's. How can I help you?"

"Good morning, Krystal."

"Oh, Bianca. I didn't look at my caller id. Good morning. How are you? Marissa? The kids?"

"We're all good. How are you and everyone at your place?"

"We can't complain. It's been a while since you've been in."

"I know. We're going to have to rectify that. We've been busy though. That's kind of why I'm calling."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that Rissa has what is shaping up to be a big case. We wanted to give you a heads up about it because there could be some media attention. Are you free for lunch tomorrow? We're having Mom, Kendall, and Greenlee over as well to talk."

"Okay. I'll be there. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"No, we have everything covered. Thanks though."

"Not a problem. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then."

Once the call was disconnected, Bianca sighed, grateful that part was done. She could now get on with her work.

/

"What?" Marissa asked Caleb as he sat across from her with a smile on his face. A quick glance at Jack revealed a similar smile on his face. The three lawyers had come back to her office after the partners' meeting had wrapped up. They had given Marissa their full support. If more clients were brought on and it was determined that filing a class action suit was the best course of action, the firm would be behind her and her clients all the way and provide whatever resources were needed. Marissa, Caleb, and Jack went back to her office to discuss the case. Now, both men were sitting across from her smiling.

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that, Caleb. What's going on? Same question to you, Jack."

Caleb grinned even more. "I'm just very proud of you."

Jack nodded. "That makes two of us. This is a difficult case, and your handling of it is spot on."

Marissa scoffed. "Maybe so far, but we're just getting started."

Caleb leaned forward, his expression serious. "I want you to listen to me, Tasker. There's a reason you are the one handling this case. Yes, it could have gone to any one of the other lawyers here. They are all good because we only hire the best. This case fell to you though. Tessa Mendes trusts you, and it's not because your families are connected. It's what's inside you. Yes, you have a brilliant legal mind, but you also have a heart that matches it. There's also a fire in you that I haven't run across very often in my career. You care about justice for your clients and doing what's right for them, and you won't stop until you've made that happen. I want you to know that you're not alone in this. You've got everyone in this firm behind you, and they will all be willing to help with whatever you need. The most important thing I want you to know is that you've got this, Marissa. Trust in yourself just like Jack and I trust in you."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Caleb. You are not only the right lawyer to handle this, but you're also the right person."

Marissa looked at both men and smiled. What they said meant a lot to her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. When are you talking with Mike Jensen?" Caleb asked.

"Mike should be here in a few minutes and so should Nora."

"We'll get out of your hair then." Jack said as he stood and headed to the door.

Caleb followed suit but stopped and turned back to Marissa. "I meant what I said before. I'm very proud of you, Tasker. Keep up the good work."

Marissa nodded. "I'll do my best. Thanks for the pep talk, Caleb."

"Anytime, kid. Anytime." Caleb winked before he left, and Marissa laughed in response. He was the only one at the firm who could get away with calling her that. Both knew it wasn't an insult. It was a term of endearment from the sometimes-gruff man, and it meant a great deal to Marissa.

/

"I come bearing coffee." Nora said as she arrived not long after Jack and Caleb left.

Marissa gratefully took the offered cup. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Got to keep the people happy. So, how did the meeting with the other partners go?"

"About like I thought it would. I've got their complete backing. This leads me to the discussion we had yesterday. You can give my name and contact information to the other victims. I'm more than willing to talk with them."

Nora released a relieved sigh. "Thank you. I know this is a lot to add to your plate."

"It is, but I've talked with Bianca and the kids. They understand what might be needed of me, but I promised them that I will always make time for them. I spent a little time this morning looking at my current caseload and seeing what I can delegate to others on my team. I've set up a quick team meeting to discuss things further."

"It sounds like you've got a good handle on things. Not that I'm surprised though. I'll pass the information on to the other victims later today. I think they'll be relieved to know they have someone else in their corner."

Marissa nodded. "Okay. Let's get prepared for our meeting with Mike."

Nora reached into her briefcase and pulled out her notes, and the two lawyers got down to work.

/

Mike leaned back in his chair and shook his head as he tried to wrap his mind around what Marissa and Nora had told him. "Damn. I can't … He's her doctor! He said it was a medical treatment?! That son of a bitch. Please tell me that you're going to go after him hard, Nora."

"Oh, I am. Not only him. I'm going to investigate the coaching staff, the A.D., and the university administration. I'm going to find out exactly what they knew and when they knew it. If there was a cover up of any kind, I'm going to find out. They're going to be held responsible for their actions or inactions."

"Good." Mike turned to Marissa. He saw the gleam in her eyes and knew what it meant. "You're going after them too, aren't you?"

Marissa nodded. "With every resource this firm has at its disposal, and we know that is considerable."

"Yes, it is. You know, I almost feel sorry for them because they have no idea what's coming their way. Almost. Those bastards deserve every bit of hell coming their way. If there is anything you need, Marissa, just let me know. Nora, you have the full cooperation of the Pine Valley District Attorney's Office."

"Thanks, Mike." Marissa smiled at her friend.

Nora nodded and shook Mike's hand. "Thank you. I will definitely keep that in mind, and I'll make sure to keep you updated."

/

Tessa arrived with her parents a few minutes early. Tony and Ana wanted to speak with Marissa before they started. For her part, Marissa was glad to have a few minutes with her client to discuss the possibility of other victims reaching out to her for legal assistance.

"Before we get started, I wanted to talk with you about something. Nora has asked me if she can give my name to the other victims in case they want to talk with a lawyer. I told her that I'm willing to talk with them. I need to know if you're okay with that."

"With you representing them?" Tessa shook her head. "I don't have any problems with that at all. I'm grateful that I have you to help me. Why shouldn't you help others if you can?"

Marissa smiled. "I had a feeling that would be your answer, but I wanted to check."

Ana stepped forward. "Marissa, Tony and I just wanted to thank you and Bianca for everything you're doing for Tessa, and quite frankly, for our entire family. I don't know what we do without either of you."

"You're welcome. Bianca and I want you to know that we will be here for you every step of the way, no matter how long it takes and no matter what you need. Just let us know."

"Thank you."

Tony nodded. "Thank you. We're going to talk with Dr. Shelton, all of us. Tessa suggested it, and we think it's a good idea."

"I agree with Tessa. You have a very brave daughter, but I don't think I'm telling you anything you don't already know."

"You're right. She is remarkable and has been so strong. Tony and I just hope we can be just as strong for her."

Tessa looked at her parents. "You have, Mom."

Nora joined the group and was introduced to Tessa's parents. She explained what the deposition would entail and answered their questions. It was soon time to start, and everyone took their seats in a nearby conference room. Marissa and Tessa sat on one side of the table across from Nora. A stenographer was situated at one end of the table with Tony and Ana Mendes at the other end.

"I am Nora Buchanan, Llanview District Attorney. This is the deposition of Tessa Mendes who is represented by Marissa Tasker. We are in the Law Offices of Thompson, Stevens, Montgomery, Cortlandt and Tasker. Let's begin."

/

Marissa and Nora watched as Viki directed Brian as to where to place the chairs in Marissa's office for her interview with Tessa. Brian had been enlisted to help during the break between the deposition with Nora and the interview with Viki, and he was more than happy to help. The deposition had gone well, and Tessa had been a trooper. Parts were difficult for her, but she got through it. Marissa had Ellie order lunch for everyone, and they had eaten after the deposition. Tessa was currently taking a break with her parents. They had convinced her that some fresh air would be good for her, and when Marissa added that they would need some time to set everything up for Viki's interview, Tessa had finally relented and agreed. While Brian moved the chairs into place, a tech from 'The Banner' who had driven up that morning set up the camera. Tessa and her parents returned not long after everything was in place, and the younger woman took her seat opposite Viki. It would just be Viki and Tessa taking part of the interview. Marissa would be on hand if Tessa needed her though. For now, however, Marissa only observed from behind her desk.

Lisa quietly made her way into the office and walked to where Marissa was seated. She motioned to her boss's laptop to indicate that she wanted to use it. Marissa nodded and unlocked the screen before turning it towards the younger woman. Lisa began to type and pulled up a website. She then whispered to Marissa. "You need to see this."

Marissa noted that the website was for 'The Intruder', Llanview's other major newspaper. It was currently owned by Dorian Lord who was the common enemy of Viki and Erica. Marissa took the headphones offered by Lisa, so she could listen to the video the younger lawyer indicated and not disturb Viki and Tessa. The video was an interview between Dorian, Vincent Turner (Llanview University's Athletic Director), and Dr. Jerry Landry. After listening for a minute, Marissa knew she had to interrupt Viki and Tessa.

"Excuse me, but you need to see this. Tessa, you need to be prepared." Marissa unplugged the headphones and turned up the volume.

"So, Dr. Landry, you're saying these rumors aren't true." Dorian asked.

"Exactly. These are medical procedures and nothing more." Landry answered.

Turner interrupted. "These rumors are completely unfounded. The university investigated these claims and found there was no truth behind them. The individuals behind them seem intent on destroying a good man's reputation and livelihood."

"Why would they do that?"

"My only guess is that they are out for some sort of revenge. These individuals were dismissed from the team for just cause, and now, they are lashing out and hiding behind a curtain of anonymity. Don't you find it odd that no one has come forward publicly on the record to put their name behind these claims? To me, that indicates they are lying."

Dorian nodded. "It does seem a little odd. Dr. Landry does have a stellar reputation."

"Thank you. I just want to help."

"Marissa, can you please turn that off. I just can't believe them." Tessa was furious. She walked over to her parents who hugged her tightly.

Viki was angry as well. "I can't believe Dorian is airing this without checking facts."

"Are you really surprised, Viki? She's doing this to get a scoop. Truth be damned." Nora said.

Marissa remained quiet as the women talked. Her attention was focused on the Mendes family and the conversation they were having. Tessa did most of the talking as her parents listened. When she was done, Tony and Ana looked at each first, a private conversation appeared to take place between them, and then, they turned to their daughter and nodded. Tessa stood to her full height and walked back over to Viki. She was determined.

"Mrs. Buchanan, I mean, Viki."

"Yes, Tessa."

"I want to continue the interview please."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. I'd like to make a brief statement now if I could."

"Of course."

"Tessa, are you positive you want to do this?" Marissa asked. She knew what Tessa was about to do and wanted her client to be absolutely positive.

"I am. I've never been more sure of anything. I was actually thinking about this yesterday and talked about it with my family last night."

Marissa nodded. "Okay. Go get 'em."

Tessa took her seat and looked at Viki.

"Whenever you're ready."

"Thank you." Tessa looked directly at the camera, her voice loud and clear. "My name is Tessa Mendes. I am currently a member of the Llanview University Gymnastics Team. I was also a patient of Dr. Jerry Landry after I suffered an injury during a competition. It was during a so-called treatment session that I was sexually assaulted by Dr. Landry."