A/N: Beautifulbabeforever gets all the credit for this idea she told me about. Deanna is the co-author and beta.

Disclaimer: Not ours, just wish they were. We don't pretend to know about the court system or jail. Any and all mistakes are ours and since this is an AU story, it's our little playground.

Backwards not forward

Stephanie was struggling against the arms that were holding her. They felt like Joe's did that night, many months ago, when he forced her to become a woman. She was hitting out with all she was worth, wanting to make someone pay this time. Carlos heard the commotion and rushed in, even though he shouldn't be in the courtroom. Searching for the threat, he saw Morelli secure in Tank's bruising grip. Then he saw his "Babe" distraught and he noticed her eyes. She wasn't in the here and now, but in her nightmare. he went directly for his 'Babe', taking her from Frank and cradling her like she was a child. Carlos was humming a Spanish lullaby, that Ella had said would calm her, she used it when Stephanie's had the nightmares.

Frank let go of her, when he saw Carlos. His heart breaking all over again for his little girl. Watching Morelli being led out of the courtroom, who was screaming the whole time, for everyone to hear, 'you said NO, BUT I KNOW YOU MEANT YES' over and over again. Tank was leading the charge to get him back to the jail and OUT of that courtroom, as fast as he could. Morelli barely was touching the floor with his feet, being propelled forward and not by his own power.

Vinnie Plum conferred with Melissa and Judge Sharpton at the bench after his client was removed from the courtroom, the reporters were hot to get the scoop on Morelli but didn't want to leave either. They didn't want to miss a thing.

What Frank wouldn't give for five minutes alone in the cell with him, there would only be one survivor that was for sure and he would be rid of this problem once and for all. Angie was crying herself, at seeing her step daughters frightened gaze, who was looking at nothing and remembering it all.

Stephanie started chanting, 'daddy I said no, I told him to stop daddy,' the same way he had heard over the phone so many months ago.

Ella was thinking of all the progress Stephanie had made up until now. She was learning to live again, getting her life back, especially with Carlos by her side. They were hearing her laugh again. Something they weren't sure was going to happen. Then the next, she would be crying all over him, her emotions were all over the place, but yet Carlos was her rock and stuck by her, not planning on going anywhere. Stephanie was actually starting to find herself again, even with all the madness of this trial. But now with Morelli's tirade, Ella had watched her regress instead.

Stephanie had her arms over her head, trying to make herself small, curling up into a fetal position while being held securely in Carlos's arms. Hearing his comforting tone in the lullaby, Stephanie finally uncurled herself from the ball she was in and threw her arms around his neck, holding him tightly and snuggled in, she had closed her eyes, a look of peace on her face.

Everyone noticed how Carlos was able to calm her, the therapy they had been doing as a couple helped, but this time Carlos was doing what came natural to him. His protective nature coming out, protect his "Babe" at all cost! Now that they both had acknowledged their feelings and were a couple, there was nothing he wouldn't do for his 'babe'. Carlos was letting Stephanie take the lead on where and what happened between them. He knew she would need to be the one in control, after what Morelli had done to her.

Juniak personally left with Tank, Lester and Bobby, happy to *escort* Morelli back to general population. Vinnie kept getting his motions turned down for solitary confinement for Joe.

It was late afternoon, when they unshackled him and turned him loose into the general population. This is where most of the *disturbances* happen, well besides *the shower.* Guards walking around, not really seeing anything, putting in their eight hours and getting out of there. Home for another sixteen hours and then is was back for eight.

All eyes were on Morelli, when he entered the cafeteria, there was a call of 'meat in the house' he tried to ignore. It was dinner time, the jail ran on employee and trustee's time. If you didn't have an appetite, too bad you were stuck there until the prisoner count was over and if count was wrong and someone was missing everyone stayed in there.

Morelli sometimes thought about what would have happened if he had left Stephanie alone, just gone into the navy and forgot all about her. He knew though that once he has seen her again, it would have been a lost cause. He had taken her into his daddy's garage, what would one more time hurt? She was his after all.

Someone had stumbled over him as he was deep in thought and dumped their hot soup right in his crotch area, jumping up Joe saw a familiar face. He could have sworn it was someone he had in his cell once before, but couldn't be sure. He remembered that voice though when the guy spoke, because just like last time it said, ' mmmmm CUPCAKE.' As he strolled off.

Joe was left with a crotch full of hot chicken noodle soup, that was starting to cool. Sighing, he started to clean himself up. He was always losing his dinner at least twice a week. The inmates didn't take kindly to a child rapist he was finding out. He was terrified of the shower, as he should be, for there were a few 'volunteers' anxious to show Morelli just what pain was…

But were held back by a force greater than theirs. The "Rangeman" crew. Who now had their own plans for Joe after today's incident.

Stephanie held onto Carlos so tight in a vice grip that it was Frank driving the SUV home, not Carlos, not tonight. Stephanie had finally fallen asleep on him, hearing the tone and melody coming from his chest, soothing her world once again.

Frank was whispering to his wife in the passenger seat, while holding her hand, he asked Angie if she was alright. It was hard to see the toll all this was taking on her, she was wiping the tears from her eyes, sniffling she told Frank, 'I am so ashamed of Joseph for causing our daughter pain, I wish I could take that pain away from her. Stephanie is so young, the same age as I was when it happened to me.

Do you remember Frank? We had our own dreams to leave this town and never look back ourselves and now look at us, our daughter is hurting and in the worst way because of Joseph. I wonder how she can even stand to look at me, since I am Joe's mother. He has turned out 'just like his father; he looks like his father, acts just like him, It was hard to love Joe, but I did. I loved all my children equally, I thought. Thank god, I had Anthony Jr though. Between the two of us, we tried to teach him right from wrong, We thought we had achieved that. I am so ashamed of him and hate to call him my son. There still is love there for him, I know there is, but its buried so deep right now. I am so ashamed and disappointed in him. Ella has even told me to let go of the past, but Frank, how can I? When the past sins of Anthony Sr are just like his son, Joseph?"