Della stayed in the hospital for a few days. When she returned home, she noticed something was off with Maureen. Della was supposed to rest, so she had Maureen join her on the couch. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," she said.

"You know, it's alright to not be okay?"

"I know, mom."

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here. So is your father."

"I know, mom."

That night, Della got up to go to the bathroom. She decided to check on her kids. When she opened Maureen's door, the teen was sitting up in bed, awake. "Sweetheart, what are you doing up? It's after three in the morning."

"I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I'm fine, mom."

Della said good-night to her daughter and returned to bed. Three days later, Perry got into bed, but Della had something on her mind. "Perry, I don't think Maureen is sleeping."

"She probably isn't sleeping well."

"No, I mean at all. I've checked on her the last three nights and she's always sitting up, wide awake."

Perry sighed, "maybe we should bring up her talking to someone?"

"Let's talk to her about it in the morning and hope she sleeps some tonight." Perry and Della both drifted off to sleep. At about four in the morning, the couple was jolted awake by a loud scream. Della quickly got out of bed and ran to the room her instincts told her to go to, "Maureen, sweetheart," Della sat on her daughter's bed and took her into her arms. "It's okay," she said. The other children woke up, but Perry sent them back to bed. He sat on a chair in Maureen's room.

"I'm sorry I woke you all up," Maureen said softly.

"Don't be sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Maureen said.

"It may help," Perry added, "is this why you haven't been sleeping? You've been having nightmares?"

"It started the first night I was home, but they've gotten worse," Maureen said.

"Della, why don't you take Maureen to our room and I can sleep here tonight?" Perry suggested.

Della looked at her daughter who nodded, "thank you, daddy. Oh, tell Lieutenant Tragg that I'll give my statement."

"You're sure you're ready?"

"Yeah, I need to get it over with."

That night, Della held her daughter in her arms as they slept. Maureen had bad dreams, but none that shocked her awake.

The next day, Perry and Della took Maureen to the station to give her statement. She asked that her parents be in the room and that everyone let her say what she has to before asking questions. "I was walking to school when a car pulled up. The guy got out and offered me a ride. I thanked him and told him I didn't have very far to go. He pulled a gun out and said if I didn't get in the car, he'd find another family member to take. I was frozen in fear so he walked around and grabbed me. I must have dropped my things in the bush. He took me to this run-down shack and locked me in the cellar. There was food, water, and blankets. When he found out that you were all close to finding him, he grabbed me and told me it would all be over soon. Then mom chased him and you know the rest."

"Maureen, I have to ask you some questions. If you aren't comfortable answering in front of your parents, let me know," Tragg said.

"They'll find out everything eventually."

"Did he say which family member he'd take instead of you?"

Maureen looked down, "my mom."

Tragg noticed the look of shock on Della's face. There was one thing she didn't know. By the look on Perry's face, he didn't know either. "Did he say why?"

"He said that my dad took her from him and he needed to be punished. If he took me then my mom would look for me. He didn't say he'd let me go and take her instead. He was going to kill me and then take her."

Tragg looked at Della, "did you recognize the man?"

"No," she said.

"Maureen, did he say how he knew your parents?"

"He was a busboy at the club my mom sang at before she married my dad. He was in love with her and was working up the courage to tell her. The night he was going to, she met my dad. He said he was never able to really approach her. I don't think he'd ever really spoken to her."

"Maureen, this next one is very personal and very difficult. I think you know where I'm going."

"Yes," she said softly.

Tragg looked at Della and Perry, "we conducted a sexual assault kit once we got Della and Maureen to the hospital."

"I totally forgot about that with everything going on," Perry said. He looked at his wife, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

The couple looked back at Tragg, who continued, "Maureen, how many times did he assault you?"

"Twice a day," she said as she continued to look down, "every day."

Perry had to hold in his anger and Della held in a gasp. Tragg wasn't doing too well himself. "One last question. What did he mean when he said it would all be over soon?"

"He had...raped me that morning. After lunch, he grabbed his gun and dragged me to the woods. He was going to rape me one more time, but mom caught him. He was going to assault me, then kill me, and leave me there...dead. He knows how close I am to my dad and was hoping my dad would find my body."

"Maureen, I'm so sorry this all happened to you. I'm proud of you and I know your parents are too. It takes a lot of courage to do what you just did, and to survive what you've been through."

"Thank you," she said, "will I have to testify?"

"Only if it goes to trial and Burger wants his head."

"Okay," Maureen said.

Tragg told them they could go. Perry and Della took their daughter to the office to have lunch without anyone else around. "Tragg was right," Perry said, "we're awfully proud of you."

"And grateful that you're safe and sound," Della added.

"I'm sorry," Maureen said.

"For what?" Della asked confused.

"I know how upset you both are now that you know everything."

"That's not your fault," Della emphasized.

"I just feel bad because I've been making things so hard on you guys. Especially, you, mom."

Della knelt in front of her daughter, "don't ever apologize for something someone did to you. Yes, we have been fighting, but I love you with every fiber of my being. I wouldn't jump off a cliff for just anyone." Della saw her daughter slightly smile.

"Can I talk to someone?" Maureen asked, "like a professional?"

"We'll set it up," Perry said.

"What if I'm pregnant?"

"What?"

"What if he got me pregnant?"

Perry was speechless. He hadn't thought of that. Neither had Della, "if we have to, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Della said.

"No matter what, you have our love and support," Perry said.

Fortunately, Maureen did not get pregnant. It was going to take time for her to heal emotionally and psychologically. She had asked Perry to drive her to school and pick her up. If he was in court, then Paul Jr. would get her since he could drive. It was around this time that Peggy told her parents she was engaged to her boyfriend Oliver. They had been engaged for months. "Why didn't you tell us?" Della asked, upset.

"Well, that was around the time you got sick and then everything with Maureen happened," Peggy explained. "It was just never a good time."

Perry sighed, "I forgot that Oliver had asked me for my blessing."

"He did?" Della asked.

"Right before you got sick. Then I forgot all about it."

Peggy walked up to her mother and took her hands, "mom, will you please help me plan my wedding?"

The anger subsided and Della smiled, "of course, I will." That fall, Peggy and Oliver married. The next Mason family event would not be as joyous. It was time for the trial.

When it came time for Maureen to testify, Vivian helped her prepare. While the situations were different, Vivian knew what to expect so her sister asked for her help. Vivian and the others went to court that day to support their sister. The entire family was proud of Maureen. She sat on the stand and looked her rapist in the eye when telling the court what he did to her. When the defense cross-examined, she held her own. Perry could tell that the jury was on her side. He was right and that man got life in prison for the kidnapping, rape, and attempted murder of Maureen Mason. The young girl walked up to the prosecutor and hugged him. "Thank you," she smiled, "Mr. Hamburger." The man took out a dollar, but Maureen just smiled and walked away without it. She wasn't his daughter, but that didn't change how proud he was of her.