"Miza darling are you ready yet?"
"Yes Momma," Miza walked down the hallway with her head hanging low, months passed since the coffee shop and the girl was still skittish however was willing to step out in public. The green fabric of her dress was a few shades lighter then her eyes, making Elsa realized how much light the second grader kept concealed within her iris. "Is this alright?" Miza asked nervously and Elsa nodded, picking up the girl and placing her on her hip- landing a kiss on Miza's head. Her heart sagged as she held Miza close for a few moment before releasing her and letting her down.
"Do we have to go to this Elsa I'm so scared." Anna whispered from the kitchen as she stared at the table. Her shoulders were trembling and she was touching the scar tissue on her face like she usually did when she was nervous. The black blouse and skirt she wore trembled with her, making her seem small and vulnerable. Elsa craved the old Anna, the hyper- electric Anna. Selfish much? Elsa winced at her own mental brutality and managed to smile at her sister despite the urge to fall away and break again.
"Its ok Anna, people will be there-"
"So will he." Anna's eyes stretched wide. Hans. Elsa had been awaiting this day for weeks, Hans's hearing. Carne had instructed that Elsa come to the courtroom with both Anna and Miza. 'You have to win the jury, make everyone see that your the innocent heroin in this case.' Elsa hated the word, heroin, she was no hero, Marco was a hero, Jack was a hero, she was the one who pushed over the first domino.
"Police and Carne and Jack will all be there, he can't do anything." Elsa touched her sister's shoulders until Anna relaxed. "It won't be long, please Anna we have to win this." Anna's jaw stiffened.
"He already has." She whispered.
"No, don't say that Anna." Elsa's head willed with boiling rage as the thought swept over her. No, Hans does not win, he can't win.
Jack knocked three times, then twice, then twice again. A rhythm Elsa had taught Jack so that she knew it was him. She made her way across the living room away from Anna to open the door and when Jack saw the look on her face he was instantly worried.
"Els, you ok?"
"I'm fine. I just, lets go." She shook her head angrily and gestured for Miza to come. "Anna," She called as lightly as she could to her sister who came nervously down the hall. As the four piled into Jack's car Elsa silently wished she would wake up from this terrible nightmare.
.:*:.
"Elsa how are you dealing with Hans's trial?"
"Elsa is it true you've taken Marco De'James's younger sister under your wing?"
"Elsa Aren!"
"Elsa"
"Elsa"
"Elsa"
Her breath began to shorten as Elsa stared at the paparazzi, they snapped pictures whose flashes left her blind and terrified, their voices were filled with pressure and suddenly her world was black and the ground was flying up towards her face again. Jack's hand pulling her off the stairs and through the court house doors. He sat her on a bench as she clutched her inhaler. She stayed for a few minutes, Miza clutching her around the waist and Anna still staring wide eyes at the reporters outside.
"I'm sorry." Elsa gasped and Jack whispered that she shouldn't be, waiting for her breath before he offered a reassuring smile.
"Hey, its going to be okay Elsa." He touched her shoulder and she nodded at him before they pushed there way into the court room were more pictures were snapped and they sat on the reserved seats for them.
The judge was an older woman, in her early 60's with a mean looking face and a short figure, she stared at the papers on her desk and made no notice to anything around her. The jurors all sat with there backs straight as responsibility held them upright. Anna sat so close to her that Elsa's shoulders hurt, but she took Anna's nervous hand as they both stared at the empty defendant's table. Miza crawled onto Elsa's lap and Jack's presence placed a shock absorbing blanket over her state of mind.
Suddenly a loud door opening made Elsa jump as police funneled through the entrance of the courtroom, an orange jumpsuit warned Elsa to look away but instead of taking it she found herself glaring at dark eyes and ginger hair, her skin crawled with nerves like she had her entire freshmen year, she almost checked behind her to make she he wasn't there. Her breath quickened with the adrenaline of that day as she saw him place a gun on her scarred sister's head. she gritted her teeth as to not scream and held Anna's hand even tighter as she felt the red-head doing the same.
"Is that him?" Miza's voice was so tiny Elsa could feel the tears laced on it.
"Yes." Elsa gulped
"I hate him." Miza said with a shaky voice. the trial for the death of Elsa's love, innocence, and happiness began with the murderer looking her in the eye, smiling and hissing,
"Hey Elsa." and he looked away from the crowd of shocked faces as Elsa fell into a line of fearful sobs.
"Get me out of here." She yelled at Carne. "Get me out of here!"
Elsa stood and gripped Miza in her arms, trying to make a run for the door when Carne stopped her.
"Elsa keep it together," His voice was calm and quiet, Elsa could feel the eyes of the jury on her.
"No! Please get Miza and Anna out of here." Her voice was shaky as she shot a glance towards the amused looking Hans.
"Fine, but I need you to stay here-"
"No!" Elsa begged and the judge proceeded to hush her.
"Counselor if you don't control your witness I'll call no spectators."
"Yes, your honor." Carne apologized and looked back at Elsa.
"Elsa." Miza's voice whispered to only her ears. "Marco needs us here."
Elsa stared at the girl with teary eyes, sinking back into her seat beside Anna and Jack.
"He deserve that much from he doesn't he?" Elsa whispered to herself and stared at the wall, away from the defendant who was staring right through her, undressing her and raping her all over again through the haze of his eyes. Elsa held Miza closer then ever, relying on the seven year old's strength to keep her alive.
.:*:.
Hans plead guilty to conspiracy of a crime, carrying a weapon with dangerous intentions, and assault on a minor. He plead not guilty to murder of the first degree and rape. As the words 'not guilty' left Hans's lips Elsa cringed with hatred and squirmed with anger.
In the car she stared out the window, Carne had volunteered to schedule a meeting at his office were she could review her testimony. Anna had Miza wrapped in her arms in the backseat, Miza still crying from the mention of her brother's name. Anna was tearing but her gritted jaw kept her mind straight. Elsa looked at Jack, his grip on the steering wheel was too tight and his eyes were bright with rage.
Elsa could not help but wonder were she would be if she had never told Marco about Hans, would he still be alive? Would Anna still be scarless and beautiful? Would she still remember how to smile? Would Jack still be a bright hearted child on the inside? Would Hans still be free? Would he have raped her again? There was not a doubt in Elsa's mind saying he would have not.
Would it have been easier to kill herself before things had gotten so bad?
Elsa screamed, she did not realize she had screamed until Jack slammed on the brakes and looked over at her. She screamed at herself in the reflection of the windshield, she pulled herself into her knees and bit her kneecaps, her lungs forced another after another, insane screams forcing their way into the air as she realized she could not take any of them back, every sound out of her mouth was already voiced and she could not keep quiet any longer.
.:*:.
"Shh... Elsa it's okay... everything is going to be okay..." Elsa nestled her cheek into Jack's chest, her lungs still fighting as the sobs continued, she left a trail of tears over Jack's shirt and pulled his as close as she could, she wanted comfort and Jack was the only comfort she knew.
"Jack... I-I'm ... s-so scared." She struggled to make out words through her child-like cries.
"It's okay Elsa," his hands made circles on her back in a comforting rhythm. "You don't have to be afraid anymore, its over." She pulled her feet towards herself on the couch, trying her hardest not to wake Anna and Miza who were sleeping.
"D-Don't leave... Me ton-night." She sobbed out harshly.
"I won't Elsa," He said against her forehead, his lips brushing her skin. "I won't leave if you don't want me to."
Elsa looked up at Jack and the blue of his oceanic eyes washed over her with comfort, her mind settling the storm inside. He rested his chin on her head, a place she felt most comfortable, where the crook of his neck protected her from each evil which had made home in her life.
"Stay with me, please." The pounding in her chest granting her words painful slurs. "Stay." She said with a heavy heart.
"I will." Jack said once again very firmly.
"Why? I want to know why -why you're ch-choosing to stay."
"Because I love you." His words were laced with agony. "Because I love you and Anna and Miza, because I don't belong anywhere else."
Elsa cried longer, harder, absorbing his thoughts and revising her own. She shivered in the cold and Jack's body made her warmer.
"Just please stay Jack,"
"I will."