"Have you seen a girl run through here? Waist long hair, she's wearing a purple flower print dress, a dark purple sweater, and black stockings."
Despite my detailed description, I worried that the guard would shake his head like all the people I'd asked before him. I could already feel my crestfallen expression replacing the worried one on my face as I waited for him to answer. He thought for a moment and then pointed toward the courthouse's women's bathroom.
"She ran in there about five minutes ago. Nearly knocked me over with how fast she was moving-"
"Thanks," I said briskly, eager to find her, cutting him off mid sentence.
I was already rushing away toward the bathroom. All these months of training Rose had really paid off for her because as the guard had started to describe, she was fast. And if she really wanted to, she moved both swift and fast so that even I couldn't catch her when she had fled the courtroom after we'd been adjourned by the judge for a short break. It felt like an eternity sitting in there and I wasn't even one of the victims. I could only imagine how Lissa, Rose, and Vika had felt.
I don't think any of us thought it would be this bad or that the trial would be happening so soon. Sure, we'd been desperate to get everything over before but now that the trial was actually here, it was a little overwhelming There was a surreal feeling in the air of this trial not only dragging on and wearing everyone out but also that it wouldn't end well for the prosecution.
After Jesse and Charlie's arrest, Stan really went to work ensuring that those two didn't somehow wriggle out of the system or escape with the help of the Ivashkov's lawyer who also happened to be Mayor Ivashkov's wife. He managed to finally find a few others in his department who weren't afraid of taking on the town mayor and he and his team were able to get a confession out of Jesse and Charlie.
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't swift, easy, or quick by any means nor a confession any of us were expecting. Those two stayed loyal to Adrian and Camille for a good two months before being held in jail for that long finally wore them down. Honestly, a confession wasn't really needed. There was enough evidence implicated them along with Rose and Christian's witness accounts. We just needed to implicate Camille, Adrian, and any of the others in conspiracy charges at the least and if we were lucky, rape and attempted murder charges as well. The fact that Jesse and Charlie were to be charged as adults must have really sunken in while they were being held in prison because the next time Stan saw them after their arrest, they weren't anywhere near the cocky teenage boys they'd been when they'd been brought in. He said they were rattled, unhinged, and more willing to talk but they weren't telling him anything he actually needed. He said they described being afraid but wouldn't say of who.
Stan's theory is that one the Mayor and his lawyer wife realized they wouldn't be able to get the two boys that could implicate their children out of jail so easily, they threatened them. It wouldn't be hard, considering Mrs. Ivashkov likely had connections in prisons, maybe made a few deals with prisoners to scare the boys. There was no proof though and before Stan could visit them one more time to plead with them again to just tell him the complete truth, they were gone.
Jesse had hanged himself in his cell the same day Charlie was found stabbed to death in the jail's showers. Stan and his partner Mark theorized that both boys knew they were going to die. Charlie seemed too much the prideful type to take his own life so he went down fighting. Jesse took the easy less painful way out, leaving a note behind. In the note he admitted to everything, he gave up the names of everyone involved and the parts they played.
Adrian Ivashkov, Camille Ivashkov, Avery Lazar, Meredith Badica, and Ralph Sarcozy were all immediately arrested.
Avery and Meredith are charged with conspiracy and assault causing bodily harm.
Ralph is charged with conspiracy, rape, and possession of child pornography because of the pictures of Rose and that she was only seventeen when they were taken.
Adrian and Camille had a list of charges including multiple rape charges, assault, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of child pornography.
Daniella Ivashkov put up a hell of a fight in trying to stop Stan's team from questioning the teens and argue profusely that a simple suicide note by an unstable boy wouldn't be enough of an arrest such as this but luck seemed to be on our side this year so far because the same sympathetic judge that granted Stan the initial arrest warrants for Jesse and Charlie, disagreed with Mrs. Ivashkov. Stan was able to question and it didn't take nearly as long for Avery, Meredith, and Ralph to roll over on the Ivashkovs.
The two girls claimed to simply be tired of all the dark games and ashamed of everything they'd done and they told Stan everything they could. Ralph, reeling from the loss of his cousin and close friend, barely spoke a word apparently, mourning. It was only after Stan made him realize who was partly to blame for this mess that he started talking as the girls did.
The news headlines were rampant with titles like 'Unstable Teens Charged With Multiple Rapes and Attempted Murder'.
They even implicated the Ivashkov parents in the crime of conspiracy. While the investigation is pending, Daniella Ivashkov was removed as her children's lawyer and the Mayor has been on the run for some time now but Stan has no doubt that they'll find him.
The city has been in a bit of chaos with everything coming to light and the stories are making national headlines. Although we're the only state without anti-bullying laws, there's recently been a lot of call for that to change. Though there are still a few supporters because Mayor Ivashkov was such a beloved mayor, the town's opinion of the girls and everything that has happened has changed a lot.
It doesn't mean it's any easier for the girls living here. Rose and Lissa's parents are still gone, my sister is going to therapy, Liss is having a hard time with the pregnancy, Rose is having terrible nightmares. It hasn't exactly been better but knowing that we're at least having a trial and everyone now knows the truth, no matter who wins the trial, is enough to make living here a little more bearable according to Rose.
These last few months can only be described using the words 'insanity' and 'unbelievable'.
I'm not even sure how we've made it this far and I am not sure if we're going to make it through the end of this unscathed. We have a pretty fair judge, unbiased, but the lawyer assigned to the case, Rolan Kislyak, fresh out of law school and only willing to take it because he's trying to prove himself and is new in town, is doing a shoddy job so far. We'd been eager to get this case to trail out of fear that all the suspects would disappear we'd never be able to try them but it wasn't going well. While Avery, Meredith, and Ralph all pled guilty and may receive a bit a leniency for their testimony against the Ivashkovs, Adrian and Camille were putting up one last fight. They'd managed to find another lawyer, a friend of the family's named Hans Croft had taken the case and so far from what we've seen, he's pretty brutal with the witnesses, reducing both Avery and Meredith to tears so far.
Everyone watched in amazement as Hans Croft made Avery and Meredith's testimonies seem unreliable in front of the jury by bring up their home lives, previous choices, they'd made, ho questionable their actions were and if they could be trusted in trying to shift the blame to Camille and Adrian who sat seemingly unconcerned at the defendant's table. He did the same with Ralph but he was less affected, still in mostly silent mourning for his cousin and friend.
Vika and Lissa watched with their mouths slight open, widen eyed, and obviously frightened of what was to come. Stan and the shoddy lawyer had tried their best to prepare the girls for what to expect during this, the questions, the stares, their own reactions but it hadn't done much good.
They were nowhere near prepared for this.
This must've become more and more evident for Rose as she watched because the second the judge adjourned everyone for a short break, she took off before most of the courtroom began to even step out of their aisle ways. I was sitting near the end of the isle, right behind her, and even with my long reach I couldn't catch her.
I'd been ready for this.
In fact, the day after the deposition meeting where we were trying to prepare the girls fort he trial, she told me herself that I should be ready for the day that this all becomes too much and she decides to run.
Everyone silently left the Kislyak's office, all of us more aware now just how real this was becoming. We were warned that all of us, including Christian, my mother, and me, would be brought up for questioning. It was something we'd thought about but hadn't really considered with everything else going on but now that the trial was right around the corner, it seemed less of a nightmare and more of a reality.
Rose and I were the last to leave, slowly following behind the group. The lawyer warned us for the millionth time that because of our relationship, we shouldn't be seen together because it would look back and make people question Rose's character and my own when I'd be brought to the stand but at the moment, we didn't care.
Just looking at Rose, suddenly seeing so much fear in the brown orbs of her eyes, I couldn't just walk away even if it was for the better. I often worried I showed more concern for Rose than Vika and Lissa because of course Rose is the girl who means more to me with each day that goes by. I wanted all three of them to know I was there for them but both Yeva and Christian told me I was worried over nothing, that I did more than enough for all three of the girls but it was Rose that would need me most because while Vika had the rest of my family, Stan, Christian and a therapist to look after her and Lissa had my family, Christian, and Rose constantly looking after her, Rose only really opened up and relied on me. Sure she appreciated what everyone did for her, the little things like Yeva or Christian making sure she's well fed, but I was the only one she really opened up to, something I hadn't really noticed until they'd pointed it out.
I took her hand the second we were out of the lawyer's office. I gave her smaller one a light squeeze and she surprised me by not only squeezing back but stopping me from walking completely. She shifted in front of me, stopping me from moving any further. Before I could ask what she was doing, she wrapped her arms tight around me, burying her face into my coat.
I held her close, combing my fingers through her hair. For a long time she didn't say anything and I took this a chance to move us further away from the lawyer's office as possible toward the elevators where everyone else had already gone down. We walked slowly and awkwardly since she didn't seem willing to let go any time soon but neither was I. Once we made it back to my car, finally willing to separate, safe and warm inside away from the cold, she finally spoke.
"I know I seemed brave and ready to take them head on but lately..."
Her voice trailed off and I didn't think she would've said anything more if I didn't prompt her to. "Lately?"She sighed and leaned her head back against the seat.
"This is scary."
"I know."
"We made it this far, we're so close to seeing the end of this but...after everything that lawyer said in there...I just want to run. Remember when Stan said I would want to run at some point? Well he was right. I just want to hightail it out of here," she said laughing devoid of any humor.
"We're close, Rose. The trial is about to start. We are so close," I assured her, reminding her of her own words just moments before.
"I know...all that everyone has been through I'd hate to see it all be for nothing and I'd hate to end up being like my mother if I take off and run and going against everything you've taught me but...but if...if it gets to be too much...don't be surprised if I do," she whispered as if she was hoping more than anything that she wouldn't run herself.
I took her hand as I always dead, giving it the reassuring squeeze that I hope has become more than familiar now, and instead of trying to convince her than running wouldn't do anyone any good because she already knew that and instead of trying to make her see that running now when we were so close was crazy, I decided to be as hones as she was with me and comfort her as I usually did, by supporting her.
"I won't be surprised. If you do run, I'll be right behind you, ready to catch you."
And I was.
The second she took off from the courtroom I was right behind her. But it's been a while since we've been running and I've forgotten how fast Rose has become over the last few months. The growing crowd of people in the hall didn't help matters either. Luckily, that one guard had seen her and here I am now, outside the women's bathroom.
I debated for a fraction of a second if I should go in before deciding I didn't really care. I pushed on the door but it didn't budge. She locked it, closing off the entire bathroom. I knocked the door calling out to her without drawing any attention but she didn't answer.
The guard that had pointed out her direction before appeared beside me. I explained that the door is locked and he quickly opened it. He was nice enough to agree to keep anyone from entering the bathroom until I brought her out.
"She's not suicidal is she? We get a lot of that here."
"No, she's not," I answered automatically as I walked into the bathroom, letting the door shut silently behind me.
I immediately stopped in my tracks. Honestly, I'd been expecting to find her crouched down in one of the stalls since I'd found her crouched down, trying to hide and borough away a few times before.
"Rose?" I called out.
The silence I received in response was deafening.
One of that Stan had assigned to guard and patrol Rose's house called and reported hearing a scream.
"I was able to get through the front door but she's barricaded herself in her bedroom," the young officer told me as we walked through the quiet house toward Rose's bedroom. "I hear her crying but she won't open the door for me. I called Alto and he suggested I call you. The other young woman, Ms. Dragomir-"
"Went out to eat with Christian, I know," I finished for him. Christian had left the studio early, intending to keep a promise he'd apparently made to treat Lissa to one of his favorite restaurants a little ways out-of-town.
"Why didn't Ms. Hathaway go with her?" the officer asked as we reached her door.
I could have been completely honest with the officer and told him about the small dinner and movie date Rose and I had planned out after I finished with work. There were plenty of people who knew about me and Rose being together and everyone seemed kind of okay with it.
Even Christian relaxed his brotherly protectiveness of Rose, and kind of accepted that we're together. Part of the reason he had taken Lissa out tonight, beside getting her out of the house, was because apparently they both wanted to give us a few moment to our selves, something we hadn't really been able to do lately with work, Rose trying to catch up on school work and preparing for the case and there were usually other people with us.
"She had other plans," I answer instead, saving myself the explanation.
Before he could say any more, I knocked on the door. "Rose?"
No answer. Only that deafening silence again."Should I call Ms. Dragomir? Perhaps she can help," he suggested once I knocked again and waited for a response from the other side that never came. I could hear her crying though.
I shook my head. "No. I think I can calm her down. Can you give us some space?"
The officer nodded and stepped away, saying something about calling Stan to let him know I had arrived.
"Rose," I knocked again. "It's me."
I didn't hear anything for the longest time until finally I could her light shuffling on the other side.
"Is it only you?" she whispered from the other side.
"It's only me."
That assurance is all it took before she swung the door, allowing me inside her room. I'd never been in here before and took a quick glance around the small room. It wasn't decorated very much, nothing compared to how Viktoria's room is caked with pink and posters. There was only a single bed, a closet with clothes hanging sloppily off their hanger, a couple of textbooks for school, and all the Christmas gifts she'd received piled on top of a dresser.Rose stood in the middle of the room fidgeting. She couldn't seem to decide between sitting on the foot of her bed or standing and pacing. Every few seconds she'd sniffle, swipe at her eyes, cover her face, or tug at her hair. I'd seen her like this a few times before and immediately knew what was wrong.
"You had a nightmare."
I'd seen her like this before in the aftermath of her nightmares the few times she'd fallen asleep while at the studio, car rides home, or napping on her couch.
She nodded, kneading her hands into her knees anxiously.
"They're getting worse," she murmured, trying to dry her face but more tears feel immediately after she ran her hands over her eyes.
"You can't do this any more, Rose. I know you said you didn't want to see a therapist but you can't keep going on like this. You're not even really sleeping any more."
"I can't get it out of my head." I wasn't sure if she intentionally disregarded what I'd said or if it was just the trauma of the nightmare.
"It's over. You're not there any more."
"I didn't mean to fall asleep," she went on, explaining. Tears were welling in her eyes again but she swiped at them and released a shaky breath. "I was waiting for you a-and I was going to start dinner b-but I fell asleep and then they were on me..."
"Roza..."
"I keep...I keep feeling them on me."
I knew from training and experience that it was times like these that I shouldn't reach out for her just yet. She's in shock and she's scared and I don't want to push her away. I have to fight to keep myself from reaching out to comfort her. Instead, I focus on trying to convince her to see a professional and talk to someone.
"They're never going to lay a hand on you again. That night is over and it's never going to happen again. I promise you...but these nightmares aren't going to go away on their own, Roza."
She is already shaking her head in negation before I've even finished speaking.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. My sister's been going for a while now and you've seen her, she's better."
"I can't...I don't want to talk about it with any one else. I'm tired of talking about it. I just want to forget."
I couldn't blame her. Vika, Lissa, and Roza had all told their own story so many times, asked so many questions by potential lawyers considering taking the case. Rose had told me once that each time they were asked to tell the story, to describe what happened, it felt like they were being asked to explain because no one believed them.
I could see it on their faces, every time they left the police station or a lawyer's office after being turned away or turned down or being pestered by news crews and everyday people on the street while in town or in the city...
These girls are worn out, tired, and exhausted, ready to lay down and accept defeat.
I could see it on Rose's face now. To me, it always seemed like she always seemed to take the worst of it. There were reporters and a few people in town that asked why she hadn't tried harder to report Adrian sooner and prevent Lissa and Vika from being attacked. That's when the nightmares started to worsen. I knew Rose was blaming herself but she never said anything about it and I refuse to ever push her into talking about something she doesn't want to.
But looking at her now, her small thinning frame, watering eyes, chapped dry lips...her body was trembling as if she was always cold and there were dark circles under her eyes. She usually never let it show just how afraid and hurt she was. She smiled a lot more, laughed more than I had ever seen her since I'd met her but it was obvious to me now that it was all a show and I can't let this happen any more.
"I know. I know you're tired, I know it's hard. I can't even imagine...but these nightmares are only going to make it that much harder for you. I'm not going you force you to see anyone. It's of course completely your choice. I just want you to get better. At least promise me you'll think about it, maybe see someone after all of this over."
She hesitated only for a second before nodding.
I sighed, wishing she'd see someone sooner but something was better than nothing. At lest she was considering. "Until then, if it gets to be too much, you know that-"
Her arms were suddenly wrapped tight around my neck and the force of her tiny body frame interrupted me. Between the two of us, I was usually the one to reach out, to initiate a hug, a kiss, a touch. I always gave her the choice to pull away, to tell me she just wasn't ready but she never did.
This, her locking herself around me in a tight embrace, was new and, though initially surprised, I loved every moment of it.
"I always have you," she said, finally finishing my sentence.
"Without a doubt," I agreed, holding her tight in my arms, unwilling to let her go.
We stayed like that for a few moment before I started to pull back, suggesting we go find her something to eat when he stomach growled but she didn't let go, holding me tighter.
"Don't let go of me. I'll eat later. Just...just hold me please?" she whispered.
She buried her face into my shoulder and she was sniffling still. I could feel the occasional tear fall on my shirt. I gripped her as tight as I could without hurting her.
"I d-don't...I don't want to feel them on me anymore...only...only you."
I stayed with her all night that night and didn't let go until I absolutely had to and neither did she.
That night was the most afraid I'd ever seen her. Right now it wasn't as bad as it was then. She was trembling, clenching the edges of the sink so hard that her knuckles were stark white. She was struggling to control her breathing and she had splashed her face clean of any tears with water, wetting the ends of the loose strands of hair that had escaped from her loose ponytail.
I reached for a paper towel and slowly reached to tilt her face up toward me, away from the drain she was staring down into. I dabbed gently at her face, wiping it dry.
"Where are Viktoria and Lissa?" she asked worriedly.
"They're fine. Christian and Stan took them out to get some air. Things were pretty intense in there for all of us."
She nodded. The sight of seeing that lawyer breaking down Meredith and Avery into crumbling, crying pieces was too much. I could only imagine what he'd do once Vika, Lissa, and Rose were to take the stand.
I'm sure everyone else was thinking the same thing.
"This is worse than I'd thought it'd be," she said once I'd finished dabbing at her face but I hadn't let her go just yet. She looked up at me with her eyes brimming with tears. She did her best to blink them back, hoping to stop them from falling but they slowly trailed down their cheeks despite her efforts. "I don't...don't think I can do this, Dimitri. You saw what that lawyer did to Avery and Meredith. I don't think I can do it...I can't-"
"Rose," I said her name, cutting her off. She immediately stopped and locked eyes with me before looking down at her fumbling hands. I moved my hands from her face down to her trembling shoulders hoping to comfort and steady her. Before say anything though she continued speaking, her tone less strained than it had been before.
"You and Stan and everyone else kept warning us that it would be difficult but, I don't know. I didn't think it'd be this hard for me...a-are Lissa and Viktoria really okay? I should go...we should go see them."
My hold on her shoulders stopped her from leaving. "They're okay now. A little shaken up like you are but Stan and Christian are taking care of them," I assured her. It always both puzzled and amazed me how much she worried over my sister and Lissa while she was distressed herself. Seemingly a little assured that at least they were alright, she nodded.
"I can't get on that stand in front of those people, Dimitri. I can't face them...Camille or Adrian. Watching Ralph on the stand, it wasn't as bad but I know that when I get up there and see Adrian..."
She took a shaky breath and suddenly couldn't get enough air to breath. I motioned for her to bend over, to crouch down until she calmed down while I kneeled in front of her. All of the time she spent convincing herself that she could make it through this, the time she spent listening to everyone else convincing her to make it through this was finally catching up with her. It was reality setting in and reality was pretty scary when it suddenly has to be face head on.
When she finally caught her breath, I sat her down against the wall, while I stayed crouched in front of her. I'm ready to give her all the repeated assurances I've given her along with everyone else. At this point, I know they won't help anymore. Rose accepted the horrific reality of everything that has happened. I know that what she needs now isn't just comfort, but better moments to dwell on when it becomes too much. It might help to focus on her best memories and the future that lies ahead at the end of all this.
"Do you remember Valentines day?"
My question obviously caught her off guard. She looked at me, her brows furrowed as if I'd suddenly gone crazy. Still, she humored me by nodding. "Y-yeah. We...went on that boat ride on the Missouri," she recalled, the smallest of smiles appearing on her face at the memories before disappearing in confusion. "But Dimitri what does that have to do with-"
"Do you remember what happened before we got on the boat? How afraid you were of being out on a river because you'd never been on a boat before?"
Again, she nodded.
"And what did I promise you, to convince you to get on the boat?" I continued ask. I could see the wheels practically spinning in Rose's head while she tried discern what I was driving at.
"You said..." she took a moment to think back and remember.
Rose was the last one standing on the dock other than the small boat's captain. The few other tourists, couples, and families were waiting for Rose to climb into the boat so that we could leave on the boat trip through the Missouri River.
She hesitated in the small space between the dock and the steps that led down into the boat.
I wasn't really sure if I should plan anything for Valentine's Day. I considered not doing anything and when I talked to Rose about we both agreed to treat it like any of the other times we spent time together but then I decided we should do something to get out-of-town for the day. Rose was excited at first but when she realized we'd be on the boat in the middle of a river her excitement dimmed.
"You know when I told you I was open to new, exciting adventures? That I wanted to do things outside of this boring, crappy small town life? T-that...that I'm tired of sitting in the police station or going to meet lawyers, that I wanted to try new things and that I was open to whatever you had planned for Valentine's Day?"
I nodded, holding my hand out to help Rose further into the boat.
"I take it all back."
I struggled not to laugh while still holding my hand out to her. She gingerly took it but then immediately pulled her hand back. "Ah, I can't...what if it tips over? I've never been in a boat before. I saw a show once where that happened."
"It is rare that happens," I assured her. "This boat isn't that big, the weather is nice and the water is relatively calm."
"Relatively?" I couldn't fight my laughter any more and smiled, made a motion of holding my hand out again. She took it this time and I clamped my fingers around hers so that she wouldn't change her mind and let go.
On shaky legs she stepped into the boat and stumbled over her feet, falling into me, the boat rocking a bit with he little motion. Her fingers clutched tight at my pull over thermal sweater.
"Maybe we should do something else?" she suggested, her voice muffled by my sweater.
The amused boat driver motioned to get my attention, signaling if it was okay for him to take off now. I nodded and then looked down at Rose as he set the boat into motion. As the boat jerked forward, she let out a little screech.
"Do you trust me?"
I must have surprised her because she looked up at me, wondering where that question had come from. It was only one more moment before she nodded.
"Of course."
"Good. Then you know I won't let go, I won't let you fall, I won't let anything bad happen to you."
It was a bit of a heavy thing to say and lay on her when the basis of whatever relationship we have is that we take things slow and easy. She seemed to appreciated the sentiment though because her tanned cheeks flushed red. Later on, she made a joke about how the part about how 'I won't let go' reminded her of the Titanic but just then, at that moment, she smiled.
"I know. I trust you."
"Do you still trust me?" I asked as we both recalled the memory.
"You said you'd protect me," she summed up, nodding to my question. "I trust you."
"Then you know I'd never let him hurt you again."
"I know but just being in the same room as him," she explained. "Getting on the stand a reliving it...Jesse and Ralph were a part of it to, they...t-they raped me too," she struggled to breathe for a second. I told her to take breath, brushing her hair back from her face as she calmed down again. She rarely said the word 'rape' but when she did it practically took the life out of her. "And I know it sounds crazy and ridiculous but they weren't nearly as bad as Adrian was. I trusted him somewhat...at least not to hurt me, to do something like that...I can't sit up there and face him. I thought I could but I can't."
"He doesn't hold any power over you any more, Roza. The only person that matters up there is you. You've always said that it doesn't matter any more to you if any one believes you as long as you know you told the truth and did everything you could to stop them. Isn't that still true?"
"I wish it was...at least it was true before I got in there and saw him." She took another deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds before exhaling. "Kislyak is probably looking for us," she muttered. She turned my wrist over so that she could see the face of my watch. "The break is almost over. It's not like the trial can go on without me, right?" she ask dryly.
"Don't worry about Kislyak or the Ivashkovs. You don't have to look at them. When you get called to go on the stand, look only at us. Focus on the people who love and support you. You can do this, I know you can. We're right here. I'm right here."
As many times as Rose has initiated a hug or stretched on her toes to kiss me since we've been together, it still surprises me when she does it now. I saw it coming this time unlike all the others but it was still surprising. She reached out slowly stretching her arms around, holding on as tight as she had those times I'd promised to never let her go.
I held her back the same way wishing for all of our sakes that we were anywhere else but here, that we'd met under better circumstances. Then I realized that if I'd met Rose any other way, I might not have seen just how strong she really is because after a few moments of holding on to each other, and the officer outside poked his head in to tell us that everyone was gathering back in the court room , she let go, motioned for me to help her to stand and headed for the door.
Before leaving the bathroom, she stopped and turned to face me again.
"You've never heard it before, what happened to me, to us...what they did."
I looked down at her confused. I'd heard it nearly every time someone asked her or Vika or Lissa to tell it. She went on to explain, "You know what happened but...not the details."
I understood immediately. I'd never been around to hear the horrific, specific details of the rapes. The girls either glossed over it or summed it up as simply as they could or I just wasn't there when they talked about, asked to leave the room so the girls could be questioned separately and privately. Being in court it would be a completely different story.
"Do you...do you still want to be there in the courtroom?"
"I said I'd support you," I reminded her, leaving it up to her to choose. I suddenly wondered if Vika felt uncomfortable about having to go on the stand and describe her own attack with me there.
"Viktoria told me she wants you there," Rose said as if able to read my mind. "She said her therapist suggested it'd be better if you were there. I...I want you there too," she added hesitantly. She looked down at her hands before bringing her brown eyes up to me again. "Once you hear everything...nothing will change between us right? Between you and me?"
She was worried I'd think differently of her because of the attack. She worried I'd be disgusted or overwhelmed. I'd been anticipating this for a while, expecting it for the longest time and here it was. I was unsure of what I would say when this moment came up but now that it was here, I knew without a doubt that I had to tell her the truth.
I took her trembling hand and kiss the back of it. Her skin was smooth to the touch.
"You said you trusted me."
She nodded.
"Then truth me when I say that when this is over, the only change between us will be for the better."
That was enough to assuage her fears and she relaxed visibly a little more. She took a few quick breaths and straightened her clothes out. Because of her shaking hands she couldn't properly fix her ponytail. I reached behind her and lowered her arms to do it for her. The entire time I did I could feel her looking up at me with appreciation and something else in her eyes that I couldn't really decipher.
I finished gently tying her hair back the way she wanted and she took my hand.
"Ready?"
She didn't hesitate for even a second as she opened the bathroom door, heading for the courtroom with new resolve on her face, that she was going to make it through this intact to get to the life waiting for her at the end of this.
"Ready."
A/N: One of my longest author's note ever but here we go...Hey fellow VA fans! Sorry about the long wait, it took me a while to figure out where I wanted to go with this. I haven't really asked this before but I really want to know if this chapter is just a little too crazy and confusing and if you guys don't like that I skipped over the arrests and etc so please review if you can!
Ironically (or at least it was to me) Montana is the ONLY state without anti-bullying legislation. I mean seriously? I had to pick the one state that doesn't have bullying laws! *sigh*
I still have a couple of chapters (filled with Romitri moments and flashbacks of the last couple of months) to add to this story so it's not exactly over yet but we're getting there.
Anyway, thanks a million for viewing, following, and reviewing last chapter and please feel free to be completely honest with your opinion on this chapter in the reviews.
Also, I know I do this ALL the time but...I started writing a new story. The difference is that I want to finish typing the story before posting it. Okay, let me be honest, I actually started writing a few new stories and rewriting some of the old ones. I've noticed the majority of my stories have a few similarities so I'm hoping to post what I've been writing lately because I think it's kind of different and my writing has improved so much (if I do say so myself XDXD). I'm thinking of typing up summaries (or just posting sections of the first chapters) for the stories I've been working on and letting you guys choose which one I should continue.
BTW: (This has nothing to do with the story but I have to tell SOMEBODY) I haven't read Bloodlines yet (I was planning on waiting for the series to finish the same way I kind of did with VA before reading it) but I totally spoiled it for myself while on the wikia page for VA and now I'm kinda sad :( Sorry, had to tell some people who share my love of all things VA