I don't own Law & Order.
Sorry I haven't posted for a while, on this or any of my other stories, but things have been really hectic. I'm in Youth and Government, and we were at Bob 2, which is our training thing, this weekend, and I'm in the court program, and our case is a case where the defense (I'm hoping to be the defense) is alleging it's self-defense and the prosecution, obviously, is alleging it's not. Besides for that it's completely nothing like this story but it's still really cool because I'll know the law about self defense versus the degrees of murder and manslaugter, at least in California. So anyway, that's why I'm so busy, besides school. Also, I just realized this chapter is really short, but it took forever to write.
By unspoken mutual agreement, they walked to Abbie's house. It wasn't very far, about a twenty minute walk at their slow, pondering pace. It would have been easier to take the subway, or a cab, but Abbie needed to slowly assimilate back into the real world, and though she didn't voice the feeling, or even form the thought, Jack understood, and their slow walk from the surreal horror of the jail to her house was the best way to accomplish that.
They started to talk about her case, speculating about who would prosecute her, beginning to brainstorm their defense. It was Abbie who brought it up, but after a few minutes the discussion became suddenly unbearable. The words pounded at her, pressed around her, made her feel almost claustrophobic. She didn't let on, continued to keep up her side of the conversation, determined not to show any sign of weakness or unease or vulnerability or anything that would show that she was in any way affected by any of this. It was ridiculous, she knew that. It was normal, after what she had just been through, not to feel strong and confident and herself. There should be no shame in admitting it.
But she was not going to let her mask drop.
"We can call witnesses to testify to Bergstrom's former crimes, to show a pattern of behavior. And- did you talk to anyone about him, once you found out he was out?"
Abbie forced herself to listen to what Jack was saying, pushed the words through her brain until she finally comprehended the question, and dredged up an answer. "Just you," she told him. "It's too bad you can't call yourself as a witness- can you? Maybe I could call you as a witness and question you…"
Jack said something in reply, and she mechanically made some inane comment that might have been a response, and he said something else, and suddenly Abbie was crying, loud, choking sobs and a flood of hot tears.
She hated it, hated herself for it, especially for the fact that her loss of control was in public, in front of Jack, in front of any random person who happened to be walking down the street. And people were staring at her, random strangers gawking rudely and worse, Jack gazing at her with concern.
"Abbie." He touched her arm, but she pulled away.
"I'm fine!" she snapped. Jack, and the other pedestrians, were still looking at her, their gazes boring into her brain. "I'M FINE!!!" she screamed wildly. The random pedestrians quickly looked away and hurried on.
She didn't know how long they stood there in the middle of the sidewalk, she crying and Jack standing there, just far enough from her for his presence not to be stifling. She wished he'd leave, or rather, wished she could leave, could just melt into the ground or disappear into thin air. Finally, she took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and looked at him. "Let's go."
TBC
I hope you don't think this is too out-of-character for Abbie. I don't really think it is, I think after being attacked, killing someone, and being put in jail and realizing that you're going to be tried for murder, anyone would loose it a little. But tell me what you think.
Anyway, please review. I'll try to update this, and "Slow Motion Bullet" and "Life and Death", which I seriously haven't updated for avery long time.