K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Everyone to the table, then," Judy said happily.

I still didn't know Judy very well. If I were anyone else, I would say that she was doing just fine. She's doing a bang up job of looking cheerful; but knowing this woman, she feels horrid underneath all that good humor.

We ate in silence for the first few minutes. "Did you two ladies have a good chat today?" Not the most subtle approach, but it's best to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

"We did, and we've made some plans," Haruhi enjoined.

"What kind of plans?"

"Legal action," said Judy firmly with downcast eyes.

"I don't think that will be necessary." I hope she takes this well.

"Why not?" She looks confused…Ah! There's the light of understanding dawning in her eyes. Indeed, Judy's eyes widened, and her mouth formed a small 'o.' Haruhi just smacked her forehead. Haruhi's witnessed way too many of my tactics.

"Kyoya?"

"What, Haruhi?"

"You did not do what I think you did…again?" I could see the lawyer's ire building behind Haruhi's eyes. I could also hear a familiar nickname being whispered under her breath. Though all I caught was "stupid…", I knew she was livid.

"Clue me in, please. Why will legal action not be necessary?" Judy was looking directly at me, completely ignoring Haruhi's head slapping.

"Haruhi, do stop that. It's not like you were unaware of what I would likely do." She stopped and glared at me.

"You can't keep bypassing the law. No matter how much money you have, your actions are border-line illegal. No, scratch that. They are very illegal."

"I'd hardly call having someone over for a chat 'illegal.' I'd also be reticent about making claims of illegal behavior when everyone I talk to is released in a timely fashion, just as any visitor to my company is." I could see the flash of my glasses reflected in Haruhi's eyes, and I could see her resign herself to the current situation.

"Hold it! Don't tell me, Kyoya, that you have or had Sato in your custody? What happened?" Judy seemed neither angry, afraid, nor upset with me. Usually everyone cowers before my glasses glint and shadow king qualities.

"After you stunned Sato and left last night, the body guard called me while he followed you home. I gave the order to remove Sato from the street to my security compound. He needed medical attention." I doubt that explanation will suffice.

"So, you took him in for questioning. I don't think he got any medical attention in a holding cell. My next question is why did you release him, and did you put any conditions upon that release?" So penetrating in her reasoning.

I cleared my throat. "Technically, that is two questions, my dear." I put my fork down and lifted my glass to my lips.

"Two questions that you will now find yourself answering, good sir." I looked at her over my glass and raised my eyebrows.

"Will I now?"

"If you want to stay, yes. If you expect me to go back to work with that guy, you better give me a thorough explanation." I gently placed my drink on the table and just stared at her. "Put up or shut up, Ohtori."

"An interesting American phrase." I rubbed my chin. Haruhi had stopped slapping her forehead and was now gazing at the pair of us intensely. As always, Haruhi can see straight through me. I cleared my head. "What does it mean?"

"I should think it would be fairly self-explanatory. It means to tell me what I want to know or stop talking." Her vehemence was not something I expected to deal with today. I had pulled a few articles on abuse earlier today and read them all. I filed through the data in my mind. 'Abused women will sometimes release their outrage on those around them.' Best to appease her.

"Sato has been released from my security compound. I'm sure Haruhi has already informed you of the vastness of my police." I looked to Haruhi for confirmation. An affirmative nod allowed me to proceed. "Before he was released, I made a visit to attain certain information."

"You interrogated him, you mean," Judy mumbled.

"No, I didn't. I didn't enter the room until after Sato was done talking to my men."

"You make it sound so open and easy." Now she's getting cynical.

"Once he made a declaration of his whereabouts and intent, we assured him that we had a witness that would testify against him in court." I looked back at Haruhi. "So, you see, Haruhi, we can easily get him in and out of court at any time." She rolled her eyes at me.

"What were the conditions of his release, Kyoya?" Judy was covering her discomfort. I could tell.

"I was just getting to that. Sato has until the end of this term to find a new job as long as he does not speak to or approach you, harass or threaten other women on campus, and behaves as the model Japanes citizen. I have a man on him at all times, and have bugged his residence. If he fails to keep any of the terms, my men will take him back to the compound and I will then decide what to do with him. Probably, my permanent holding facility…" Haruhi was staring at me. "-or court. Geez, Haruhi, he shouldn't even be permitted the option."

"No, he shouldn't." Haruhi was in one of her rare, furious moods. "He should be in a legitimate jail right now. We should be preparing for court. We should be lining up past victims and current witnesses."

"Haruhi, that would be so messy. Both Tamaki and I would be called to the stand. I doubt any of the women on campus would be willing to testify, either."

"Are you saying you wouldn't take the stand?" I turned to face Judy. To my surprise, she looked less analytical and slightly hurt.

"No, Judy. I will take the stand if necessary, but isn't it better to just get rid of him?"

"This isn't 'just getting rid of him.' This is giving Sato a get-out-of-jail-free card. This is letting him get away with assault, battery, and trying to, to rape me." She had started off angrily, nearly yelling; but by the end of her little rant, she was whispering in shame.

I stood and walked around the table, pulled Judy from her chair, and placed my hands on her shoulders. I stooped a bit to look her in the eye. "You stopped him, Judy. Sato wouldn't have been able to get that far even if you couldn't have stopped him. Your bodyguard was poised to step in the moment it looked like you needed him." She was strangely tentative, glancing up at me and lowering her eyes again. I heard a shaky breath being drawn in just before she straightened her shoulders beneath my hands and raised herself to her full height. She looked me directly in the eyes and shrugged my hands from her.

"I want to know why you let him go. You sent a message to him that he can get away with this kind of behavior as long as he doesn't get caught. I want real justice, Kyoya."

Most of the time, no one questions my motives, my intent. Judy is questioning me and is demanding an answer. Nobody has ever stood up to me and demanded an answer. Haruhi only ever called me out when I disguised kindness with self-interest. She's the only one to question my motives, and only twice.

"To answer your question, I really did think taking care of this quietly was the way to go. I didn't think you'd want your coworkers to know that you were being stalked and abused, nor I did think you'd want the country to be let in on the fact that you were terrorized. I was considering your privacy."

"These things get swept under the rug way too often. No, I don't want to be the face of abuse victims everywhere. I don't want to be the face of victors over abuse, either. I just want him to be brought to justice under the law." Judy went to the counter and picked up dessert. As she brought it in, she addressed Haruhi.

"Haruhi, how long will it take to collect the information we need from the women of the music department?"

"I could be conducting interviews for weeks. First, I have to decide who are likely candidates for involuntary participation in Sato's games. Second, I have to find out who really is afraid of him. Third, I have to gain their trust and get them to talk to me."

"Can you start with Miss Yamamoto?"

"Why?"

Judy began serving us strawberry pie. "Because I think she was coerced into not playing for me. She may be cold and lack passion in her playing, but we were getting along fine before the concert. I talked to her that morning and had her assurance she would be there on time. She disappeared with no phone call, email, or message but was back the next day. Yamamoto hasn't spoken to me since. Sato's incredibly fast appearance on stage unnerved me, and his quick volunteering of Tamaki's time was purposeful, I think."

"You think Sato set it all up. Why would he do that?" Haruhi popped her fork into her mouth and smiled in pleasure, as she is want to do still.

"He wanted Judy to feel the need to ask him for help. If Tamaki wasn't proficient enough immediately, Judy would have been inclined to find the best pianist on campus. So, Sato would have stepped up to save the day. He wanted her to feel indebted to him." I shifted my gaze to Judy. "But, because Tamaki was more than equal to the task, Sato was left to stumble all over himself and make lewd passes at you. Is that what you are saying?"

"Exactly. I think Sato has some sort of hold on Yamamoto that she's ashamed of, and I think it's similar to my situation just more advanced. I think he's been harassing her for a long time."

"Maybe, I should start with her, then," said Haruhi.

"I hate to say this, but you are not a practicing lawyer yet, Haruhi. Any investigation you make, will be shaky in court unless you can get them to sign a statement and a contract saying they will appear in court. We'd still have to find a lawyer to take the case." I knew I was pushing it. Judy had been about to take her first bite of strawberry goodness, but she set her utensil down and stared at me instead.

"Are you kidding me? Why are you so opposed to doing this the legal way? I sure hope you are about to present a decent alternative, like one of your lawyers. Because if not, I'm finding my own."

"Calm down, Judy."

"I am always calm." Usually, you are.

"It's not that I don't want to do things legally. Actually, everything I did today was perfectly legal. My police work with the government most of the time. We frequently catch criminals for them and turn them over. If that's what you want, we can do that. I'll bring Sato in again and incarcerate him. Then we can charge him. It will take a long time before it goes to court. Sato isn't poor: he'll be able to post bail. And, when he does, he'll be after you. He'll be on the street for six months, at least, before a trial, and in that time, instead of quietly leaving you alone, he will be hounding you to call off the trial and possibly harassing you even further." I can't believe I'm lowering myself to an explanation.

"So, what you're saying now is that if we turn him in and press official charges, he will become worse than if we threaten him and force him to leave?" She finally ate her first bite of pie.

"Yes. He may be a pervert, but he has a reasonable side that deals strictly in self-preservation."

"Where will he go then?"

"Likely, he'll try to get another job in Tokyo. I won't allow that. If he is able to find a new job after the sealed references I send, I will make it abundantly clear that Tokyo isn't conducive to maintaining his health." Both the women shivered.

"So, you're effectively shutting him down within the city limits," Haruhi queried.

"Indeed."

"I don't think you're going to settle for Tokyo. I think you're going to follow through to every job he applies for. Aren't you?" Judy's eyes bore into mine.

"I haven't decided, but if that's what you wish, then I will."

"I never said it was my wish. However, a man like that shouldn't be allowed to live in complete comfort for the rest of his life."

Haruhi began cleaning up. "Judy," she began, "listen to me on this point. I've been witness to how the upperclass live for nearly the last ten years of my life. If Sato is convicted, he won't spend time behind bars, at least, not for long. He will use his money to pay his way out eventually. He will bribe the judge, the jury, the government, or use his significant popularity as a performer to sway the public and get a lighter sentence. It's the way of the world, unfortunately."

"Sadly, I am coming to a greater realization of that fact. I know that back home things like this are kept quiet, that many of these rapists, harassers, and perverts are given lighter prison terms or none at all. I'm not so naive as to think they are all penalized to the fullest extent of the law." She began rubbing her temples. "I'm just used to the idea of the judicial system always producing the correct outcome, even if it doesn't." She blew a raspberry with her lips. "Have it your way, Kyoya, but I hope he is dogged out of work for the next ten years of his life."

"Vindictive." I curled my lip in amusement.

"I think I can be for the moment, considering it's only been a day since…you know. I'll forgive him later on this evening."

"You'll what?" Haruhi was flabbergasted. I kept my mouth shut. That's not what I expected.

"I was expecting to say that after the trial, but now I need to get along with Sato until the end of the term. So, that means I need to formally forgive him, and, as I try not to lie to anyone, I must truly pardon him."

"Is that normal where you are from, Judy? It's not normal here. I doubt he'll accept or respect such a sentiment. In fact, I'm certain you'll be viewed as weak by Sato and anyone else who knows your story." Haruhi and I were equally curious about the revelation, so I had no problem with Haruhi voicing our thoughts.

She looked at Haruhi and then me. "It is not normal in the States. In fact, I know few people who would forgive a man such a crime. But, apart from it being a logical course of action since he will still be working with me and I want to live in peace, it is also a calling I feel. I know that pain, anger, and fear are all natural emotions for me to feel. I also know that most would consider a grudge and what I need. To hold grudge and seek revenge are both choices that I can make. They are actions that I can choose based on the reaction of my feelings. If I choose to keep a grudge in my heart, then I am not hurting Sato with my hatred, but myself. If I seek revenge on him, I don't end up unsatisfied and choked with angry passion that will consume me. It's a sin against God as well as myself." She lowered her head. "I'm heading for the couch. Haruhi, just leave the dishes. I'll finish later. Heaven knows, I'll need the distraction."

J~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I was expecting to say that after the trial, but now I need to get along with Sato until the end of the term. So, that means I need to formally forgive him; and, as I try not to lie to anyone, I must truly pardon him." I meant every word. I truly believed that if I didn't forgive Sato, I would be sinning against God and myself. How could I look myself in the mirror every day if I harbor such bitterness? In order to free myself, I have to choose to turn my anger into pity, true pity, for the man. He has a major problem that he has chosen to deal with by committing crime. He has chosen to let his lust run amuck and chosen to attempt assault. There are better choices, but he has allowed his vision to be clouded; and I feel sorry for a man who can't see passed the temporal things.

R&R. :)