AN: Guest reviewer on chapter one declared I should pull this story to reupload chapter at a time every few days... am I the only one who thinks that is completely ridiculous? I think you can find your way to the first chapter without me needing to delete it and reupload it... or am I the crazy one here? Also I don't need anyone to point out to me this story has been sitting here for eight years unfinished, I am perfectly aware, this is one of many unfinished works I have both published and unpublished on fanfic and I can choose to come back to them whenever I want. This story is complete and I'm editing and uploading as fast as I can as a bulk as I'm not interested in uploading this one chapter at a time for reviews etc, I just want to share the finished product with those who have wanted it finished.

Melissa Daniels

I'm apprehensive about seeing Ana today. It's been a while since I've seen her. When Christian bought in an entire team to help her through this I knew there was no need for me to be here all the time. However she is still going to need my support when it comes to dealing with the legal system and today I'm here to make sure that Ana has been told about the plea deal with Stephen Morton and find out if she would like to make an impact statement to the judge.

The judge has expressed wanting to hear from Ana before agreeing to the plea deal. It's unusual for that to happen. The victim has a right to make a statement when it comes to sentencing and also they get the chance to be heard when there's a plea deal but I have never been in a situation where the judge has asked to hear from the victim. But that's what happened here and while uncommon it isn't completely unheard of.

So I need to know if she wants to be heard. I need to know if she is planning on going to tell her part to the judge. If yes then she needs to be ready and if no she has to be prepared that the judge will reject the plea deal.

"She won't be ready in time." Christian tells me as I sit in his office with Tamara the shrink and John Flynn the other shrink.

"I appreciate that Mr Grey but I wouldn't be doing my job and doing right by Ana if I didn't speak to her about this and allow her to make the decision." I explain. "Ana has the right to be heard if she wants to be."

"I think Ana does need to be told Christian." John says coming in to back me up. "She may not be ready but if it is something she wants to do a short term goal might not be a bad thing."

"And if she fails to reach it?" Tamara asks. John is on my side Tamara isn't. Didn't quite expect that. "We we're aiming to get her out for her 20 week ultrasound giving us 8 weeks not 2!" She says almost as if I'm putting just too much pressure on her to get Ana ready for this.

"If she fails to reach it we will help her through that Tamara but we have to give her the choice." John says reassuringly but Tamara doesn't seem impressed by it.

"Melissa is right." Christian sighs. "It's Ana's right and if we keep this from her we could set her back more if she starts asking questions. Tamara, go in there with Melissa so she can speak to Ana."

Tamara stares at Christian for a moment, shakes her head and then turns to me.

"I'll open the conversation." She says and I nod. I'm willing to go with the flow here. I know how bad things have been for Ana. I've been kept informed of her progress. I know how bad things got, that she went catatonic and wouldn't respond and that they feared having to take her to hospital. Thankfully their wealth meant that was avoided. "She should be finishing with Jamie now. Should we wait till she's had some lunch?" Tamara looks at Christian.

"Yes I think that's a good idea. She'll be eating with the children. That's what she's asked for. Lunch with them everyday." Christian smiles softly, the fact Ana is eating with the kids clearly means something to him.

Tamara

Ana has decided to sit outside in the meadow after lunch. She's making so much progress and I worry about every little thing setting her back. Of course I know this is her right and it's very important she be given the choice but I just think it's too soon and it may hinder her progress if she says she wants to do this then is unable to make it to the courthouse. It will hurt her and she can't only take so much set backs and each one will hinder her progress.

"Hey Ana." Melissa smiles as we join her on the grass.

"Hi. It's good to see you." Ana smiles back and it's great to see she's receptive to Melissa being here.

"Ana do you remember what Melissa's job is?" I ask forcing her to turn to me. Ana shakes her head and I'm not surprised she has expressed some confusion about what happened in the hours after the rape.

"I know you helped me." Ana says quietly. "You were there in those hours after what happened. For the rape kit and that." Ana says gently and Melissa nods.

"My job is to support you. Mostly with the legal side. I work with the police and support victims through the legal system from the statement to the verdict."

"That means something's happened with the legal side of this or you wouldn't be here." Ana says not missing a trick. I see an anxiety appear on her face. She starts chewing her bottom lip and her hands begin to fumble in her lap.

I lean over and take Ana's hand in my own. Hoping to comfort her a little while I break the news to her.

"There's been a development in the case." I tell her gently. "Stephen Morton has been offered a plea deal if he testifies against Jack Hyde."

"What does that mean?" She asks looking nervously from me to Melissa and I give her hand pulsating squeezes hoping to ground her a moment as I sense a panic attack coming if I don't.

"If he pleads guilty to the rape and the kidnap he will be given 30 years with a chance of parole in 20." Melissa replies softly.

"He'll be old in 20 years. In no fit shape to rape anyone." I say hoping to make Ana think before she reacts. "Even more so at 30 as there's no guarantee he'd get parole."

"Ok." Ana says not realising there's more to come.

"The Judge isn't too happy with the plea deal." Melissa continues, looking towards me for guidance and I nod at her reassuringly. "He'd like to hear from you."

"Why?" She asks, her confused face looking directly at Melissa.

"Well. He would like you to do what's called a victim impact statement at sentencing. So what that would entail in this situation is you address the court. Tell the judge what happened to you and how you feel about it. You can address Morton if you want to. The judge will likely want to know if you agree with the plea deal and if yes or no why. Then he will make a decision whether or not he accepts it." Ana nods along gently, listening to everything Melissa is saying.

"I don't know if I want to." Ana says looking to me for guidance.

"It's completely your choice." I tell her and she nods and looks back to Melissa. This is a curveball I hadn't expected but it's also a curveball Ana doesn't know how to respond to.

"It's highly unusual for a judge to ask for a victim impact statement." Melissa says. "But for some reason he wants to hear from you."

"Do I have to if the judge had requested it?" Ana asks.

"No. Not at all. You can write something and either I or the prosecutor can read it on your behalf or you can choose not make a comment. The prosecution does believe though if the judge doesn't hear from you that you're happy with this plea bargain that he may not accept it. We don't know why but that's the feeling from the DAs office." Melissa is trying to be gentle but there's no way this can be said in any other way but to add confusion and frustration to Ana. It's forcing her hand.

"What would it mean if the judge a refuses the plea deal?" Ana questions. She's obviously wanting to make an educated decision here.

"It would go to trial." Melissa says. "And the case against Jack Hyde would fall apart. There just isn't enough evidence to convict Hyde without Morton's testimony."

Ana scoffs and drops her head to her hands. Melissa meets my eye and I shake my head as I put my arm around Ana's shoulders.

"Tell me what you're thinking." I encourage as its best if we deal with this straight away rather than just let it build.

Ana sighs and suddenly gets up from the ground and walks toward the sound. Melissa and I are quick to follow her, not knowing what she's thinking, what's going through her mind at this very moment scares me.

She stops at the fence and looks out to the water. Her mind is clearly a million miles away from here but Melissa and I flank her on either side and she knows we're here.

Minutes tick by, one right after another then another. My legs hurt and it's quite cold down here but Ana continues to say nothing. Every now and again I catch Melissa leaning forward to look at me but I just give her a thin-lipped smile as at the moment I'm not quite sure what's happening.

"I want to make the statement." Ana suddenly says making both Melissa and I jump.

"Ok." We both say quickly. I think Ana disappeared in her mind to process this news and has no idea we've been standing here for about half an hour. In her mind minutes have gone by since we were discussing this on the grass.

"I don't want to take Morton to trial." She explains softly. "I want a jury to decide if Hyde is guilty."

And that's the crux of it. Ana needs Hyde to go to trial. She needs a jury of twelve to determine whether or not he intended for her to be raped or not because she doesn't know if he wanted to help her if hurt her.

"That's something worth telling the judge." Melissa says cupping her hand over Ana's.

"I need to go to bed I'm tried." She says turning to me and I nod and take her arm in my own so I can lead her back to the house and to bed. I'm not surprised this news has exhausted her I just pray that it won't set her back.