To answer lucy's question, Actus Reus is Latin for A Guilty Act. It's not copyrighted. By the way, I know Abbie might seem annoying, but she's a teenage girl, and they can be annoying sometimes. I know because I am one. :)

And just like that, there were no more bruises, no more black eyes, no more blood. Just like that, Olivia had lunch money and clothes that fit her and school supplies. It wasn't perfect, but three weeks later, Olivia had a relatively permanent foster home – she was going to stay there for the immediate future anyway. There were two other kids there, six-year-old twins, but Olivia didn't really mind. Her foster parents were good to her and they seemed to actually care for her and the other children. For her, at least, things were better.

For Abbie, things were worse. She still couldn't sleep and she was constantly on her guard. Her grades started to plummet because she wasn't sleeping and couldn't concentrate on her schoolwork. Dr. McKenna diagnosed her with depression and wanted to put her on Prozac, but Abbie refused, reiterating that she did not inject foreign substances into her body. She almost thought she'd hit rock bottom, but of course there was farther to fall.

They were eating lunch, Alex, Olivia, Elliot, Trevor, Jack, and Abbie, when Abbie noticed a boy with sandy hair and cold, cold eyes on the opposite end of the cafeteria. The color drained from her face and she suddenly couldn't breathe. She tugged on Olivia's arm. "I'm going – out – for a walk," she managed, trying desperately to maintain her composure until she could get out of there. How was this possible? How had he managed to follow her here?"

"I'll come with you," said Olivia quickly.

Abbie gave her a weak smile. "That's okay."

"No, really. I need some air, too."

Abbie let out the breath she'd been holding. Olivia understood. "Okay." With as much self-control as she could muster, she managed to walk rather than run out of the cafeteria with her head held high.

She started to run as soon as she was out of the cafeteria, Olivia at her heels. It was okay. She didn't need to put on a show for Olivia. Olivia already knew her most shameful secret, and she knew Olivia's. It was okay.

They went outside and leaned against the brick wall. "Breathe," Olivia told her.

Abbie inhaled a shaky breath. She was almost hyperventilating and she knew she needed to calm down. She also knew that she should call her mother, Dr. McKenna, even Dr. Picard. But she didn't, because she couldn't. Abbie Carmichael had never been good at asking for help, even when she needed it, which was sometimes difficult to discern.

"So what's wrong?" asked Olivia. When Abbie hesitated, she added, "You were there for me when I needed you, Abbie. Let me do the same."

Abbie sighed. "When did you become so diplomatic?"

"If I were Alex, I would tell you that you're misusing the term," replied Olivia good-naturedly.

"But you're not Alex." Abbie was gradually relaxing in Olivia's comforting presence and her trembling had mostly abated.

"So, do you want to tell me what the problem is or should I play one of those guessing games you're so fond of?"

Abbie stared at her.

"What?"

"I'm trying to decide whether you sound more like my mother or my shrink."

Olivia laughed. "I wouldn't know. I've really never had either."

But she was joking, not being self-deprecating, and Abbie marvelled at how she could joke about her dire circumstances. She knew she would never be able to get that far. She would never be able to come to terms with what had been done to her, simply for that reason. Abbie liked to control things, and what had happened had been beyond her control. That was what made it so hard.

"You know, Abbie, I'm only trying to help."

"Just like I tried to help you," bit out Abbie.

But Olivia didn't seem bothered in the slightest. "You did help me."

Abbie shook her head in wonderment. "I can't believe I'm talking to the same person."

"You're not."

Abbie didn't even try to decipher what that meant. Olivia sometimes talked in riddles, and Abbie didn't have the time or the patience to decode her cryptic words.

"Abigail." The voice startled her from her thoughts and her face turned white as she immediately recognized it. It was his voice. How had he gotten here?

Abbie started to shiver, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Get the fuck out of my face," she snapped, forcing herself to keep her voice level.

He looked hurt. "I would have thought you'd be happy to see me after such a long time." He wrapped an arm around her. "I missed you, babe."

She grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. She wasn't stronger than he was, but she had the element of surprise on her side, and it worked. She saw the shock in his eyes, that little Abbie Carmichael had actually fought back. Well, she wasn't little anymore, and she would fight to the end. She wasn't going to live in fear anymore. No, not anymore. "You so much as lay a hand on me, I will make you wish you'd never been born," she hissed. "I haven't forgotten."

He raised an eyebrow and yanked his arm away. "Neither have I. So why don't we pick up where we left off?"

"Fuck you," she snarled, then turned to Olivia, who was watching the dynamic unfolding before her with interest, ready to step in if need be. But Abbie didn't need her. She could take care of herself. She had to.

Surprisingly, he shrugged and started off. But first, he turned and called, "I'll see you later, Abigail."

She was trembling, but she was all right. Or at least, that was what she told herself when her knees buckled and she grabbed Olivia's shoulder to keep herself from collapsing in a ball at Olivia's feet.

"You okay?" asked Olivia, taking Abbie's arm to steady her.

Abbie let out a shaky breath. "I think so."

"Was that –?"

Abbie nodded. Surprisingly, she found that she didn't even mind talking about it to Olivia. Olivia, even though her current beyond-her-years maturity was a bit annoying, was her best friend. And moreover, she understood.

"So what are you going to do?"

Abbie almost asked, "What do you think I should do?" but she bit back the words. They would make her sound too needy. No matter how much she trusted Olivia, she refused to appear dependent. She was stronger than that. Instead, she said, "I don't know." Then her façade slipped. "He followed me here! He's never going to leave me alone." She tried not to cry out of pure desperation. "I don't want to have to move again!"

Olivia hesitated. "What he did to you –" She clearly wasn't sure how to ask the question. "Why isn't he in jail now?"

"It doesn't always work that way," she snapped, then realized how uncalled for that was. Olivia was just trying to help. She managed to smile through the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "Sorry. Defence mechanism." Olivia nodded encouragingly, and Abbie said in a small voice, "I testified. It wasn't worth it. He got off."

"Oh," was all Olivia could think of to say. "You could get a restraining order."

Abbie tried to laugh, but couldn't quite manage it. She grimaced instead. "I wish I could see things the way you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Black and white," clarified Abbie.

"He raped you. What's gray about that?"

She looked at the ground. "To put it frankly, when I was at my old school, I was a slut." She tried to pretend it didn't bother her, but it did, because she knew it was her fault. "He was my boyfriend. I led him on." Even as she said this, she knew it wasn't true. She'd been drugged. She couldn't have consented even if she had wanted sex. Which she hadn't.

"Whether or not that's true, it doesn't justify what he did."

Abbie groaned. "Now you definitely sound like my therapist."

Olivia cocked her head. "Maybe." She hesitated. "Are you going to tell your parents?"

Abbie shook her head. "No way in hell." She knew this was something Olivia could understand.

"So you're just going to – for lack of a better phrase – deal with it?"

Abbie shrugged. "Life goes on." But it didn't, really. Not for her. She wasn't even living now, just going through the motions. As she'd explained to Dr. McKenna, what did her happiness matter as long as she was productive? Relative to the huge world, she was just another tiny person, and whether she was happy or miserable was irrelevant. And that was what she told herself on her worst days.

"But what does that mean?"

"Let's not get all philosophical," Abbie said mockingly, then winced. "Sorry," she apologized again. "Defence mechanism." She thought of something Dr. McKenna had said. "I push people away before they get too close."

Olivia smiled wanly. "Me, too."

"We're just two of a kind." Even Abbie wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or serious.

"If you need anything . . . I mean, I'm sure Elliot would beat the crap out of him for you if I asked him."

Abbie managed a small smile. "I'll hold you to that."

Olivia instinctively rested a hand on Abbie's shoulder. "I'm here for you, Abbie. We all are."

Abbie lowered her eyes and nodded. "I know."

"Do you?"

It was an innocent question but it infuriated Abbie. She almost snapped at Olivia and said something she knew she'd regret, but she took a moment and got her anger under control. She locked eyes with Olivia. "Yeah."

Olivia nodded. "Okay." She hesitated. "Do you want to go back inside?"

Abbie shook her head. "You can. But I think I want to stay out here for a bit."

"I'll stay with you."

Abbie almost refused, but she caught herself. She gave Olivia a smile. "Thanks."

Olivia smiled back. "No problem."

They sat in silence until the bell rang. Abbie took a deep breath, but then she made a decision. She was going to be strong. She had to be.

She and Olivia stopped by their lockers and went to their English class. Alex, Jack, and Elliot were already there. Elliot gave Olivia a strange look, but she shook her head almost imperceptibly, and he got the message.

They didn't have assigned seats, but the five of them always sat together. Today, Abbie plopped down between Olivia and Jack at the front of the room. Alex said she needed to sit at the front so she could see the board, but none of the others were buying it. They knew that she just liked sitting at the front.

And then . . . he appeared. Flashing Abbie his most winsome smile, he ran a hand through her hair and plopped down on Jack's other side. "Hey, Abigail," he said lightly. "We're in the same class. Isn't that cool?"

Abbie turned to Olivia, who was seething, ready to smack him if need be. Jack was just staring at her, clearly puzzled.

She glared at him. "What did I tell you about staying away from me?"

He shrugged. "Hey, I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm in this class too."

Olivia met Abbie's eyes and deliberately got up from her seat. She motioned for Abbie to follow her and walked away, sitting down on a chair on the other side of the room. Abbie lowered herself onto a seat beside her friend and concentrated on breathing as Alex, Jack, and Elliot followed a few moments later, erecting a protective cocoon around Abbie. She had Alex and Jack on one side and Elliot and Olivia on the other.

He gave her a wink and walked toward them, perching on the desk beside Alex. This time, he didn't speak to Abbie. He turned to Alex and said, "Hey, babe. Is it hot in here or is it just you?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Choose one girl to hit on and stick with her. And make sure that girl isn't me . . . or Abbie . . . or anyone with 20/20 vision, because you'll lose her in a second."

He was momentarily daunted, then shrugged, sitting down at the desk beside Alex's.

"Get lost," she snapped, glancing at Abbie, who'd started to tremble. Abbie knew that Alex didn't know the entire story behind her fear, but she knew this was important to Abbie, and Abbie was grateful.

He shrugged again. "Hey, it's a free country. I'm just sitting. And that's such a nice way to treat a new student."

"I'm not a very nice person," said Alex mildly.

"Well, sitting next to a hot babe, mean as she may be, is top on my to-do list today."

She slid closer to Jack. "I'm taken."

"Not for long. I'm sure I can win you over."

Abbie was almost glad that he'd found bigger fish to fry and he wasn't focussing on her, and then she felt bad, because now he was on to Alex. And Alex was Abbie's friend. She didn't want Alex to get hurt. And she knew that he would hurt her.

No. Alex could take care of herself.

But then, she'd thought the same thing. Look how wrong she'd been.

"Get lost," snapped Abbie, shooing him with her hand like he was a pesky insect.

"Or what? You'll tell the teacher?" he mocked her, then turned his attention back to Alex, wrapping an arm around her neck. "My parents are away for the weekend. I've got the house all to myself."

Alex grabbed his arm and twisted it hard. "You touch me again, I'll put your balls in a blender." She pushed him away and he almost fell off his chair, grabbing the desk to regain his balance. But he didn't appear particularly perturbed.

"Oooh. I like my girls feisty."

"Do you like your head attached?"

"Alex!" A voice interrupted their verbal sparring, and Abbie turned to see Ms. Berg standing behind them. She gave Alex a stern look, then her expression softened as she handed Alex a test that they'd written last week. Alex glanced at her mark and tried not to look too proud of herself. The two of them shared a smile, then Ms. Berg handed Elliot, Abbie, and Jack back their tests.

Olivia folded her arms. "Where's mine?"

Ms. Berg smiled good-naturedly; she was used to Olivia and her "Badass Benson" attitude by now. She rummaged around in the pile of tests and handed one to Olivia. "Good job."

Olivia grinned when she saw her mark. "87!" she crowed, then turned to Alex. "Let me guess: perfect."

Alex smiled and nodded.

"Wow, smart, feisty, and hot. A triple threat."

Alex pierced him with a look of utter disgust. "Fuck you."

"I'd love to," he said with a smile that was supposed to appear charming, but instead looked perfectly predatory. Like a threat.

"Alex!" They'd forgotten that Ms. Berg was still standing there. Then she fixed him with a strict look. "You watch what you say, young man."

"My name is Damien," he said lazily.

Ms. Berg looked from Alex to Abbie, who was trying not to tremble. She was trying to relax her face into an expression of nonchalance, but her body betrayed her. "Is Damien bothering you?" She was looking at Alex, but the question was directed at Abbie.

Abbie didn't know what to say, and she was glad when Olivia jumped in and said, "Yeah, he is. Could you please tell him to –?"

"Okay, I don't really think you need to finish that sentence, Olivia," said Ms. Berg, then turned to him. "Go sit next to Fin."

"Who's this Fin?" he asked.

Ms. Berg pointed him out and he grudgingly picked up his books and sat down beside Fin on the other side of the room.

Abbie leaned toward Alex. "He's fixated on you, Alex," she murmured. "Be careful."

Alex glanced at him, then turned back to Abbie, her face set. "We'll see."

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