A/N: Let me settle this once and for all. Tarah and Audrey are not sisters. How you guys even drew that line is beyond me. They had the photo of Luke and Nicole because Lorelai wanted nothing to be kept in the dark after the truth about Christian came out. No secrets. There is no Nicole in any of this chapter.

I am overwhelmed by the popularity of this story. It's a shame I have to end it. However I have lied to you yet again. This is going to continue. I don't quite know where I am going to go with it yet but I may make it up as I go. Anyway here's more of it. Enjoy ladies and keep those reviews coming.

Chapter 49: Who You'd Be Today Part II

"Excuse me?" Audrey said to the lady at the receptionist's desk.

"How may I help you girls?" the older woman asked.

"My friend would like to file a domestic assult and battery charge against her boyfriend," Audrey said, speaking for Tarah."Where do we go?"

"Go upstairs to the third floor and see Sgt. Delko. His is the second office on the left," the woman said.

"Thank you ma'am," Audrey repiled politely.

Audrey and Tarah wentto the elevator. They paused before hitting the button.

"Audi, I'm scared," Tarahsaid softly.

She put her arm around her friend and gave her a good sqeeze. "Don't worry. I'll be with you the entire time. Everything is going to be fine."

The door opened and they walked out of the elevator and looked around. Tarah noticed the sign above a door that indicated Sgt. Delko's office. She pointed to it and the two friends walked into the office. Audrey looked around looking for anyone. A lady cop passed by them.

"Excuse me?" Audrey called.

"Can I help you girls?" she replied.

"My name is Audrey and my friend and I would like to talk to Sgt. Delko about filing a report," Audrey explained.

"I'm Sgt. Delko, please have a seat."

"Thank you ma'am," Audrey said.

"What can I do for you ladies this afternoon?" Sgt. Delko asked.

"I would like to file assault and battery charges against my boyfriend," Tarah spoke up, not wanting Audrey to do all the talking. She removed her sunglasses to reveal the damage that Ricky had done to her.

"Oh you poor girl," Sgt. Delko gasped. She reached into a cabinet and pulled out a stack of papers. "First off I need a litte information. Name, address ect."

"Tarah Annelle Leahy-Worth. 1847 Park Street, Hartford Connecticut 861-237-1849."

Sgt. Delko wrote down the information. "Are you over 18?"

"No ma'am. Do I need parental conset or something?"

"No. It's just a question we have to ask. Now this charge is against your boyfriend?"

"Yes ma'am. Richard Van Warner, also goes by Ricky. 1447 Hanover Street, Hartford Connecticut," Tarah rattled off. "May I put my glasses back on? The light is bothering my eyes."

"Of course. I just need to get the same information from your friend."

Sgt. Delko wrote down the information from Audrey. She set down her pen and looked at the two girls sitting across from her. She had been on the domestic violence beat for fifteen years. She had seen so many cases that she lost track. But this girl, sitting in front of her was her daughter's age.

"Tarah when was the first time Mr. Van Warner hit you in anyway?"

"April 22nd, a few days after we started going out. We were at a party with James, Ryan and Audrey. Audrey had made a joke about him and I laughed with her and he punched me in the shoulder. Not hard enough to leave a bruise but hard enough that it hurt."

"What led to... this?"

"He had been vauge on plans for this weekend so I told him I was just going to hang out with some friends instead. He asked me what friends and I knew better than to lie to him. You see Ricky doesn't really like any of my friends. He hates Audrey for some reason and hates that I hang out with her. So I told him I was going to be hanging out with her and he flipped out. It only got worse as I tried to defend myself."

Audrey couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't believe that someone's hatred for her would lead to this. She felt like this was all her fault somehow. As Tarah was giving her statement her cell rang.

Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight
Till tomorrow I'll be holding you tight

"Excuse me," Audrey said leaving the room. "Hey baby. What happened on your end?"

"When we got to Ricky's place it was trashed. Broken lamps, chairs toppled, books thrown all over the place. Ricky was in cleaning up becasue his family was supposed to be back today or something. I asked him where Tarah was and he said he didn't know," Ryan said. "Well James cut through the bullshit and confronted the bastard, sorry baby, told him we knew the truth."

"It's ok. I've called him worse," Audrey replied.

"We know what you did you did to Tarah you bastard!" James yelled.

"Audrey called me and told me everything. Tarah's filing the report right now," Ryan said.

"You can tell that snobby, bitch girlfriend of yours to mind her own damn business, before something bad happens to her," Ricky spat.

"He threatened me?" Audrey asked, panic in her voice.

"Don't worry baby. I'm not going back out with James and the others. I'll be only a phone call away."

"Thank you Ryan. Tarah and I should be finished at the station soon," Audrey said, calming down.

"You're at the station?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah. You told me to take her to the station. We got here just as they were bringing Ricky in," Audrey replied. "Why?"

"Just stay there until I get there. I just don't trust Ricky or some of his other friends."

"Ok Ry. We'll wait until you get here. I love you."

"I love you too. Be safe."

Audrey hung up the phone and went back into Sgt. Delko's office. They were almost finished with her statement. Sgt. Delko had a few more questions for the girls and then they were free to go. Audrey and Tarah walked back down to the elevator.

"Ryan's going to meet us here. Apparently when they confronted Ricky he threatened me and Ryan's worried," Audrey said to Tarah when they sat down on the bench outside the station.

Audrey turned her glace to the street and watched for Ryan's Cooper. She saw it stopped at the intersection and was waiting to turn left. Audrey hated to admit it but this thing with Ricky scared her. She saw what he was capable of doing. She began to wonder how many other young women were trapped in abusive relationships. How many were like Tarah. smart beautiful girls trapped in a cage of horrendous lies fed to them by the men that claimed to love them? What could she, as a very public citizen of Connecticut, do? There had to be something. But the question was, what?

"Audrey! Tarah!" Ryan called.

Audrey ran to Ryan and he hugged her tightly. She was so thankful that Ryan was not Like Ricky. Ryan Turner was the best thing that had ever entered Audrey's life. He held her close and whispered in her ear. "Audrey, I want you to take Tarah back to your house and I'll be right behind you."

He took both girls by the hand and led them to Audrey's car. "Take the back roads and don't stop until you get to the Hollow."

"Ryan what is going on?" Audrey whispered, visably afraid. "You're scaring me."

"I was followed. I'll tell you later," he whispered back. "I love you."

Audrey drove cautiously. She kept checking behind her making sure Ryan's bright green Cooper was always behind her. The ever present feeling that something bad was going to happen loomed.

"Audi, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost," Tarah said.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Finally they arrived at the house. Audrey and Tarah got out and she locked it up. Ryan pulled up behind Audrey's car and the three of them went into the house together. Ryan looked around one last time before shutting the front door and locking it.

"Audi, did your dad fix the back door lock before he left?" Ryan asked.

"Oh yeah. All the windows lock now too," Audrey replied.

"I'll go lock all the windows and Audrey you get the doors. Tarah you close the curtains," Ryan said heading for the stairs.

"What's going on?" Tarah asked.

"Ricky's other friends are a tad pissed off that you two had him arrested," Ryan answered. "I was followed when I came to the staion."

"Followed? Ryan Turner, I'm already frightened enough! What is going on?"

"Ricky's one phone call was to Harris Nichols and he's pissed," Ryan explained. "Harris called me just before I called you Audrey."

"Oh my God! What are we going to do?" Audrey asked.

"I'm not going anywhere, if that's what you're asking. I'm not going to let anything happen to either one of you."

Audrey, Ryan and Tarah share a tight hug. Ryan squeezed Audrey's hand and they exchanged a loving glance. Ryan then ran out to his car. Audrey and Tarah collapsed on the couch.

"Tell me something to get my mind off Ricky," Tarah said.

"I need frosting," Audrey replied.

"I need frosting? You have to be kidding me?"

Audrey walked into the kitchen and goes to the pantry, her mother's pantry. "We got rainbow chip, chocolate, purple, green, pink and blue," Audrey called. "What would you like?"

"I'll take green!"

Audrey returned to the living room with two cans of frosting and two spoons. She handed one set of frosting and spoon to Tarah and kept theother.

"Seriously, I need to think about something else. Tell me anything."

"I slept with Ryan," Audrey said, eating a spoonful of frosting.

"That'll do it," Tarah said. "When? Where?"

"Last night in the treehouse. That's why I wasn't here when you called."

"What does this mean for you guys? What if something happens?"

"Don't you think I ignored what could happen? I am fully committed to Ryan Turner. I love him. I love him so much."

Audrey and Tarah giggled and talked together until Ryan came back inside. He had a worried look on his face. Something wasn't right.

"Ry, is everything all right?" Audrey asked. "You look worried."

Ryan shook his head at her in a "not now" kind of look. He settled into the couch and Audrey curled up and laid her head on his chest. She found the remote and flipped on the TV to some strange old show. After TV and several movies later they had to arrange the sleeping assignments. Audrey insisted that Tarah take her room and she would be upstairs in her parents room. Ryan agreed to take the couch. He gave Audrey a small kiss goodnight and watched her go upstairs. He waited until he knew Tarah was asleep and then he snuck up the stairs to be with Audrey.She was curled up on the left side of the bed, in one of Luke's flannel shirts and sweatpants. He crawled in next to her gathering her into his arms. He breathed in the scent of her hair and kissed the soft curve of her neck.

"Mmm," Audrey whispered, waking. "Ryan."

He smiled and stroked her arms. She rolled over and they were so close that their noses were touching. "Not here," she said shaking her head. "Not in my parents' room."

She saw the way his beautiful chocolate brown turned darker. "Ryan, I can see the iceberg in your eyes. What's wrong?"

"I just wish I could have kept you out of this battle with Ricky," he said tracing her profile. "I just don't want you hurt. I love you too much. If anything was to happen to you I'd-"

"Ryan stop. I was involved the second Tarah chose to come here. Nothing's going to happen to me."

They shared a tender kiss and then she curled up in his arms and fell asleep. The early morning light coming into the room from the open windows woke Audrey from her sleep. She found herself wrapped, lovingly in Ryan's strong arms. She rolled out of his arms and began her normal morning routine. She went downstairs and started the coffee. She then snuck into her room and removed her jogging supplies. She changes in the downstairs bathroom and then puts on her running shoes by the front door. She opens the door, stretches on the porch and then heads off towards town.

Audrey loved her town in the early morning. She passed the diner and waved to Caesar and his nephew Louie at the diner. She could smell the fresh muffins and other pastries coming from Weston's. She rounded the corner past Miss Patty's yoga class. As she approched her house, out of the bushes stepped Ricky Van Warner and Harris Nichols. Audrey stopped in her tracks. Her fight or flight took over. She stood her ground.

"We've been hoping one of you would make an appearance," Harris said coming towards Audrey. "We had hoped it would've been Turner."

Harris Nichols stood about six three and weighed in over 200 pounds. To the barely five one, 115 pound Audrey Danes, he could be scary, but she stood unafraid.

"What do you want Harris?" Audrey snapped backing up.

"We want Tarah to drop the charges, Miss Connecticut," Harris said. "Ricky was just laying down the law. If Ryan would do that to you, we wouldn't be having this problem."

"He beat my friend beyond recognition. He deserves to be in jail!"

"Now we're getting a little sick of your preaching, Miss Connecticut. So, do us all a favor and shut your trap before it gets you in more trouble."

"You don't scare me," Audrey said backing away. She wished she could move the house 100 feet closer. "I want you to leave. Get away from me."

"Now see, Miss Connecticut I can't do that," Harris said, moving closer to her, cutting off her escape route. "You've got too big a mouth for such a little girl."

Harris ran his fingers over her cheek. She cringed and turned to run from the house. She was stopped by Ricky. He held her by her upper arms and spun her around to face Harris. Audrey started to scream out but Harris clamped his hand over her mouth.

"No, no, Miss Connecticut. You don't want to wake the neighbors. You know, Ryan Turner used to be a lot more fun to hang out with before he started dating you," Harris seethed. "God you're a good looking girl. It's a shame I have to do this."

A/N: Ok so don't kill me. I have drug this out long enough that I just need to get this section out. Anyway I hope you liked and more is to come. I just have to finish it.

Coming up on Collide: He brought his hand back and flung it forward smartly across her face.

"Audi! Run!"

"Who is the gaurdian for Audrey Danes while her parents are out of the country?" the doctor asked.

As Audrey recovers her summer gets worse.

Audrey pregnant yes or no? I have both scenearios ready to go I just need to know which one to follow through on. Also Christian pays a visitto Luke.

The pretty purple button is calling to you. I won't be posting the next chapter till I reach at least 260 reviews. Night girls!