Chapter 42

Kat looked around the courtroom, there were cameras everywhere today. Reporters holding recorders and notepads. The room was crowded, more so than it had been in the four days since the trial began. She knew it was all because she was being called to the stand. Nearly a week of testifying, witnesses, experts, and evidence; now finally on a Friday morning it was her turn. She'd have to return to her nightmare once more and share it with everyone in the room.

"You okay Snowflake?" Jason whispered as they sat in their usual spot.

"Why can't I talk to just the jury?" she replied in a shaky voice. "There are so many people here today."

"Everyone wants to hear your story Katherine." Russ commented. "The lone survivor, your story will be hot news. Everyone loves a hero and that's what they're making you."

"Everyone loves the fall of a hero even more." Kat muttered with a roll of her eyes. She looked ahead of the crowd and spotted Kelly Calvin sitting at his table. I'll be labeled worse off than Tyler himself if that man has anything to say about it.

Richard Long finally stood from his table. He lifted his chin and turned around toward the crowd and sea of cameras, all for show Katherine was sure. "State calls forth Katherine Hillard."

She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out as the camera focused on her. She stood from her seat, giving Jason one last look before making her way up the aisle. She clasped her hands together in front of her to hide her trembling as best she could. She kept her head high and her face emotionless as best she could, trying to put on a strong front for the cameras.

She was sworn in and seated at the witness stand. Her sapphire eyes locked onto Rachel, who for the first time in days of testifying, looked up at her. Her brown eyes were so dead looking and hollow it left Katherine speechless.

"Katherine Hillard, I'm glad you could be here." Richard began as he moved in front of her.

"It's not like I had a choice." Kat narrowed her eyes at him.

"Be that as it may, it's a privilege to have such a distinguished federal agent here."

"I'm no longer in the bureau."

"Yes, that is something that everyone here is aware of. Could you tell us about the events leading up to your retirement from the bureau? Start from the first case you worked in California."

"I was called in when local PD discovered the body of Tabatha James. I was in Angel Grove on vacation. I found it ironic and suspicious that the 'Angel Killer' jumped coasts to exactly where I was vacationing."

"You had no idea that he was following you?"

"Of course not." Kat shook her head. "I had no idea until he attacked me outright."

"You're car accident in September of last year. Tell us what happened if you would."

"Tyler Jacobson was hiding in my vehicle late at night. He took me hostage at gunpoint and forced me to drive up to the bluffs. While I was driving he knocked me out by hitting me in the back of the head with his gun. My car careened off the bluffs edge sending me through the windshield."

"And no one knew you where you were?"

"How could they? I'd sent everyone home hours before, and I was supposed to be heading back to my friends' house. Everyone thought I was safe and sound somewhere else."

"How were you found?"

"Tyler called 911 himself after I refused to die. He told me that himself."

"You were very lucky." Richard replied. "You survived your encounter with Mr. Jacobson and yet continued to pursue the case. Many would have fled home, tail between their legs."

"If anything my first encounter with him only caused me to be more driven." Kat countered. "I wasn't going to let him threaten me and get away with it."

"But it wasn't you that he took next was it?"

"You already know that." Kat rolled her eyes. God, she was hating this. "The 'Angel Killer' took Liz next. She was once my friend and I am so sorry for family."

"I agree, my heart goes out to her parents and her little girl who will have to grow up without her mother."

How dare he bring Lilly into this! Katherine thought as she watched Richard speak toward the cameras.

"You were recalled back to New York shortly after, correct?"

"Yes."

"What reason was that?"

"Word reached the director that the 'Angel Killer' had a thing for me. I was recalled for my own safety and placed on desk duty."

"Ms. Hillard, would you tell us what happened the night of February 10th?"

Kat gulped as she closed her eyes, they were finally at the part she was dreading most. The room with deathly silent, waiting for her to reveal her story. Even the judge seemed to lean forward in his own chair.

"I went home to my apartment after a long day at work. After a nice long soak in my tub, I settled onto my bed with a good book and glass of wine. I accidentally spilled my wine and went to clean it up. As I got down on the floor to retrieve my wine glass from the under the bed, I came face to face with the 'Angel Killer'." A few gasps filled the room as Kat let out a shaky breath. "He sprayed chloroform into my face, leaving me lightheaded and practically paralyzed. I tried to escape him, but he was stronger and bigger than me. I'm not sure I could have fought him even if I hadn't been drugged. Everything went black after that."

"And where did you regain consciousness?"

"In a room I didn't recognize, which I now know was in a cabin outside of the city. A cabin owned by my former teammate, Rachel Dawson."

"What happened there." Richard asked as he perched himself on the edge of his table.

"I..." Kat closed her eyes again. She reopened them and sought out Jason in the mass of people. She thanked the heavens when she quickly spotted him sitting in the front row. He must have moved after I took the stand. He gave her a gentle nod to encourage her. "I awoke tied to the bed. Tyler was lurking around the cabin in the shadows."

"And then?"

"And then... I..." Kat felt her pulse quicken at the memory of what Tyler had done to her. Richard had instructed her to talk about her rape and stabbing to gain sympathy before they talked about her conversation with Tyler. She thought it was a dirty trick to sway the jury before throwing Rachel under the bus, which she didn't want to do. "He raped me repeatedly throughout the night and into the next day."

"I'm sorry for you Ms. Hillard." Richard said in a soft sympathetic tone, undoubtedly all for show.

"Be more sorry for the women who didn't escape."

"I am, believe me." Richard nodded. "Just how did you escape."

"Tyler came in with some dinner, he'd left me unrestrained while he was out. I jumped him, knocking him off balance enough that I was able to run before he had a chance to catch me. I was barefoot and without a coat, but I had to take to the chance to run. I ran blindly into the forest, hoping to come across another cabin or ranger station or... something. I tripped over an upturned root, breaking my foot in the process. Tyler caught up with me then."

"What happened then?" Kat's body began to tremble with the memory of the pain as she bit on her lower lip. She wanted Jason to hold her so badly at that moment. "Take a moment if you need to Ms. Hillard."

Kat lowered her gaze to her hands and she tried to collect herself. The room was silent once again, everyone on edge to hear more from her. Finally she lifted her head, tears glistening in the lights. "He tried to hug me and slid a knife into my back. I collapsed to the ground unable to breath." Kat's voice grew heavy and thick as the tears finally slid down her cheek. "He then stabbed me over and over again before walking away, leaving me on the ground to die."

"Lieutenant Scott stated that he found you just barely in time. Tell us your side."

"I don't remember much other than trying to focus on staying alive." Kat shook her head before wiping her tears off her cheeks. "Time seemed to have no meaning and each breath was a task. It was raining and freezing cold. I don't know how long I was laying there before Jason found me. I remember him holding me as I tried to so hard to touch him, to talk to him. To tell him that I loved him. I remember feeling like I was... slipping. Like my very essence was being drained from my body. It felt very much like falling asleep. There was nothing then."

"Lieutenant Scott claims that you died in his arms at that moment."

"The paramedics would agree with that statement." Kat nodded. "I was technically dead when they arrived on scene and they were ready to give up. Jason wouldn't let them though. Through some miracle they managed to shock my heart back into beating."

"A miracle indeed." Richard added. "Ms. Hillard, did you converse with your capture at all?"

"Objection your honor!" Kelly stood up from his table. "Leading the witness."

"I didn't mention what they were talking about!" Richard argued.

"Overruled Mr Calvin. I'll ask you to calm down." The judge warned. Richard smiled over at the defense lawyer smugly.

"I'll ask again Ms. Hillard. Did you have a conversation with Mr. Jacobson."

"Yes. He tried to explain to me why he thought he had to take me. Why he was killing all those women, but even after all this time I still don't understand it." Kat shook her head. "I think I can understand his obsession with me though."

"What is that?"

"I reminded him of his mother, physically at least." Kat explained. "The fact that I looked like her, but did not bear the same personality drew him to me. His reasoning for wanting me was that I could help him heal from the trauma that he endured as a teenager."

"What trauma was that?"

"His mother used to..." Kat gulped finding it hard to say out loud. "Used to rape him." More gasps and murmurs filled the room as Rachel looked back up a Katherine. She chewed on her lower lip as tears pooled in her brown eyes, the first sign of emotion that she had shown.

"What happened to his mother?"

"He killed her." The room was buzzing loudly with shock at that point.

"How could he have gotten away with murdering his mother?"

"Objection speculation and hearsay!" Kelly yelled.

"It's not speculation if the suspect told Ms. Hillard how he covered his tracks. This is her testimony of what she was directly told!"

"Overruled." The judge cut in. "Be careful of the line you're treading Mr. Long."

"Yes your honor." Richard nodded. "Ms. Hillard?"

"He disposed of her body, with the help of his sister." The room broke into near pandemonium with her statement.

"Objection!" Kelly stood once more. "This story has nothing to with the charges against Ms Dawson! The alleged death of her biological mother has no relevance to the 'Angel Killer' case! I move to strike the last part of this testimony from the record!"

"No connection?" Richard scoffed. "By aiding in disposing of their mother, Ms Dawson helped to create the man that Tyler Jacobson would become. If you would allow me to continue with this line of questioning you'll see that I have a point."

"I'll allow it. I want to see your point soon Mr Long, or I will rule in favor of Mr. Calvin."

"Yes your honor." Richard nodded. "Ms. Hillard, would you tell us what else Mr. Jacobson revealed to you."

"He said that Rachel taught him how to use stage make up and prosthetics to disguise himself. She helped him to create his new persona as Harvey Logan. Once he was Harvey, he joined the FBI."

"How could he just create a whole persona?"

"Harvey Logan was a real person." Kat said sadly. "Tyler murdered him when he needed to take over his identity."

"And Ms. Dawson was aware of this?"

"No." Kat shook her head. Richard paused as he looked at her in shock. "I mean, she was aware that Harvey Logan was a real person, but she believed that Tyler stole his identity. She didn't know that Tyler had murdered him."

"Thank you Ms. Hillard. No further questions your honor."

"Mr. Calvin, you may proceed."

"Thank you." Kelly nodded as he stood up. He stood silent, seeming to study Katherine, before he finally spoke again. "Let me begin by saying that I am truly very sorry for what you have been through Ms. Hillard. You have my deepest condolences."

"Thank you." Kat said dryly.

"How long did you work the 'Angel Killer' case?"

"Three years."

"Reports state that you knew the suspect before he became the actual killer."

"I knew of him." Katherine shook her head. This lawyer was trying to twist the facts around, but she wasn't going to let him win. "He was a witness from another murder that I investigated, living as Ethan Dean. He was placed under witness protection with me for a time."

"While under your protection that he was injured by your own hand was he not?"

"That is a fact." Kat glared at the man, she wanted nothing more than to clock the pompous ass herself. "He made a sexual advance on me, grabbing my ass. I punched him hard enough to dislocate him jaw. He's touch was unwelcome and I was in my full rights to hit him."

"Yet you were suspended for your actions."

"I was suspended pending an investigation into my actions. The committee agreed with my actions although said I used excessive force. I was only suspended for a week."

"In the entire investigation of the 'Angel Killer' you never once thought of the man that tried to force himself onto you in that hotel room? Not even in the back of your mind?"

"I didn't give Ethan Dean a second thought after he was taken out of my care."

"Strange, many women would remember someone that did that to them."

"I am not most women. I handled the situation when it occurred, there was no need to think about it over and over again."

"Yet, it was that very man that you didn't give a second thought about that was in fact hunting down other women who bore a resemblance to you. A heavy connection you failed to see."

"There was no evidence other than he liked tall, blonde, blue eyed women. There our hundreds of thousands of women in the New York area alone that match that description. How was anyone supposed to see the connection?"

"I agree." Kelly nodded. Katherine's brow furrowed. Was that what he wanted her to say? God how she hated this game. "I want to talk about your accident from September of last year for a moment."

"What about it?"

"I'm curious Ms. Hillard, how a seasoned agent such as yourself could let someone get the jump on you in your own vehicle."

"I... I didn't mean to." Kat shook her head with a sigh. "I wasn't exactly on alert when I climbed into my car."

"And why exactly was that?"

"I... I had been flirting with Jason and made a quick escape into my car." Kat rolled her eyes.

"You were escaping the Lieutenant?"

"No!" Kat argued. "I... I had... I had just kissed him and left him standing speechless. It was... flirtatious, to make a quick getaway before he had a chance to react."

"So you came onto him?"

"Who came onto who has nothing to do with it." Kat narrowed her eyes at him.

"Just answer the question." Kelly sighed.

"Objection! Relevance?" Richard stood up.

"Mr. Long I gave you a lot of freedom, I'm allowing Mr. Calvin his own leash as well." Richard sat down begrudgingly as Kelly grinned.

"Ms. Hillard?"

"That night yes, it was me who came onto Jason, but we had been doing a lot of flirting back and forth before that."

"The 'Angel Killer' gave you a message while in the car didn't he?"

"Yes." Kat nodded. "Before he knocked me out."

"What was that message?"

"That Jason was distracting me from the case, that I wasn't as good an agent anymore." Kat sighed.

"You failed to report that to your team." Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Withholding information it seems."

"I did what I felt I had to!"

"Why exactly was that?"

"Had the team known, they..." Kat let out a breath. "I was worried that Jason would become over protective of me and pretty much keep me under lock and key or even worse he'd pull away from me because he'd fear for my safety."

Kelly moved closer to her before he spoke again. "Is it true that Lieutenant Scott himself blamed you for the death of his late ex-wife when he saw the message the 'Angel Killer' had sent you? Saying that if you had spoken up, you might have been able to save Elizabeth Scott?"

"He... he was emotional at that point." The walls seemed to be closing in on her again as she looked wildly around the room. Everyone seemed to be staring at her with accusation shinning brightly in their eyes, or so it seemed to her.

"If you had told the other agents that the 'Angel Killer' had an interest in you, they might have gotten a clue or lead from the information. They could have watched you and maybe caught the man as he followed you. Is it true that Mr. Jacobson recorded your intercourse with Lieutenant Scott from a window outside his own home?"

"Yes." Kat nodded as her tears began pouring down her face once more. "He watched me, he followed me. If my team had known we might have found him before he killed Liz."

"You're just as guilty as my client in this case aren't you Ms. Hillard? You could have prevented someone's death as well if you had spoken up. But you were purely selfish in this case weren't you?"

In the front row Jason tensed as his rage boiled over, he was ready to jump over the rail and beat the man practically attacking Katherine. Russ laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake of the head. The crowd around him came alive with murmurs as Katherine sat there openly crying.

"How convenient that the 'Angel Killer' just happens to murder your only competition for Jason Scott." He said sarcastically. "Now you have this perfect little family all to yourself, a motherless little girl to boot."

Jason tried to stand from his seat at that comment, seeing Kat shrinking back into her seat, but Russ and Tom both placed a hand on either shoulder forcing him back to his seat.

"Jason, you'll be removed from the room." Russ hissed.

"But look at Kat." Jason protested. "I just finally got her to act normal again, he's going to undo the last few months."

"Have faith Jason." Tom reassured his partner.

"Objection your honor! Badgering the witness!" Richard finally stood up, having had enough of Kelly's interrogation.

"Ms. Hillard is listed as a hostile witness your honor, and I am allowed to treat her as such!" Kelly raised an eyebrow.

"Ms. Hillard is a victim suffering with PTSD, the last thing she needs is this form of questioning!"

"If she can recall her entire time in captivity with Mr. Jacobson, she can handle my questioning!"

"Stop it!" Kat suddenly screamed as she covered her ears with her hands. "Stop it!"

"Ms. Hillard, are you alright?" Kelly asked as he looked at the distraught blonde. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, but Katherine pulled away. Tears streaming down her face.

"Don't touch me! Don't touch me! Don't touch me!" Katherine's shrill voice coming out much like a little girl. Jason knew she had retracted into herself like a few days before with the reporters, but this time seemed to be much much worse. The room came alive with full blown chaos as everyone stood from their seats trying to see what was happening in the front.

"Shit!" Jason cursed.

Katherine curled herself into a ball on the floor of the witness stand. In her mind she was trapped in the cabin again, the 'Angel Killer' lurking around her. His sickeningly sweet velvet voice echoing in her mind as his hands raked over her body once again. Hopelessness and darkness surrounded her.

"Ms. Hillard!" Richard rushed over to her, pushing past a confused Kelly in the process.

"Order in the court!" The judge yelled. "Order!"

"Please, don't!" Kat screamed again as Richard grabbed her shoulders.

"Bailiff!" The judge called. The tall muscular officer came running as the judge stood from his seat. "Court will take a short recess and will resume once we have regained order!"

The bailiff tried to help Richard with Katherine but she continued to scream as unfamiliar hands touched her. The judge made a hasty exit for his chambers and the jury was taken out of the room. Jason finally shrugged off Russ and Tom, jumping over the gate and rushing to Katherine.

"Mr Scott, you're not allowed..." Kelly began but Jason pushed past him anyway.

Jason practically threw Richard and the bailiff back in order to get to Kat. He took her into his arms as he sat on the floor with her. "It's okay Snowflake, I'm here."

"No, no, no, no, no..." Kat kept repeating quietly as Jason slowly rocked her back and forth. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Shh." He tried to soothe her.

"Lieutenant..." Richard started but quickly stopped as Jason's ice cold glare snapped up to him.

"You promised you wouldn't let anything happen!" He shouted. "You said that you wouldn't let anyone push her too hard! Just look at her!"

"What do you need us to do?"

"Get the media the hell out of here!" Jason growled. Richard nodded toward the bailiff, who turned on his radio calling in the security team to begin clearing the room. Jason turned his attention back to Katherine who was still quietly repeating 'No' as she stared straight ahead. Her eyes were unfocused and distant, practically dead.

It took nearly ten minutes but the room was finally clear of everyone except Richard Long, Jason, and Katherine. Kelly had retreated with Rachel to one of the backrooms. Tom and Russ had been shown out as well.

"Katherine, look at me." Jason pleaded as he turned her face toward him. "Katherine Lynn, look at me!"

"I didn't mean to." Kat said suddenly.

"Didn't mean to what?" Jason asked hoping that he could bring her out of her trance.

"Let her die." Kat's voice was flat, devoid of any emotion at all.

"Let who die?"

"Liz."

"You didn't Kat. Don't say that."

"He was right. It's my fault."

"No! No it's not! Wake up Kat!" Jason shook her slightly but Kat's gaze was unchanged. He hugged her to him as tears formed in his eyes. "Come back to me Kat!"

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I need to get her out of here." Jason shook his head.

"I didn't know she was this bad." Richard said apologetically.

"Neither did I." Jason said sadly.

XXXXXXXXXX

Katherine laid on her side on the bed, just staring at the wall. Jason sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees and his chin in his hands. He didn't know what to do anymore. It had been nearly five hours since he'd managed to get Katherine out of the courthouse and back to their hotel room. She hadn't utter a single word or looked away from the wall since he'd laid her down.

There was a gentle knock at the door, Jason reluctantly stood from the bed and walked over to the door. It didn't really surprise him to see Tommy when he looked through the peephole. Rachel's trial would have been all over the news, especially with the chaos that ensued following Kat's testimony.

"How is she?" Tommy asked as Jason opened the door.

"Take a look." Jason shook his head and looked toward Katherine.

"How long has she been like this?"

"Five hours." Jason sighed. "I don't know what to do Tommy."

"Would you mind if I tried to talk to her?"

"Go for it." Jason nodded. Tommy made his way over to the bed, kneeling on the floor in front of her.

"Hey Angel Eyes." Tommy smiled as he gently stroked her hair out of her face. Kat didn't move an inch. "Has she said anything?"

"Not since we left the courthouse."

"I swear I'll strangle the asshole lawyer." Tommy seethed.

"Get in line." Jason said darkly. "I want both of them. Richard Long is just as guilty as Kelly Calvin."

"Have you called Dr. Jeffery yet?"

"Yeah, he said if she hasn't changed by morning to bring her to him. Either way he's going to see her soon. After this, I firmly believe she's not even close to getting over everything. She's been compartmentalizing things and even had Dr. Jeffery fooled enough to think she was getting better."

"Why does this have to happen to her?" Tommy shook his head. "It seems that everything happens to her. Why can't she just be happy for once?"

"I wonder the same thing." Jason snorted as he sat in the chair across the room.

"She has been so happy with you, and now this."

"I'm at a loss here Tommy." Jason admitted, defeat heavy in his voice. "I don't know what I can do for her."

"I honestly don't think that there is anything that any of us can do for her." Tommy shook his head sadly. "Although she stands a better chance with you than anyone else. She trusts you enough to open herself to you, even if it's only a little bit. It's more than anyone else gets out of her."

"I think I should take her away for a while." Jason said after a few moments of silence.

"To where?" Tommy raised an eyebrow.

"Australia." Jason shrugged. "Take her home for a while. Lilly would like the trip too, maybe if we're lucky Kevin can have some leave while we're there."

"I think that sounds like a great idea Jase." Tommy nodded as he gaze fell back to Katherine. "Let me know if you need help with the tickets. I know they're not cheap."

"Thanks for the offer bro, but I got this."

"Jason, Kat means a lot to me too." Tommy argued. "I don't want to see you deplete your entire savings. Let me help."

"If you're sure." Jason hesitated. "I mean you got the baby on the way and everything."

"I'm sure." Tommy nodded. "In fact I'm sure everyone else would pitch in, that way it hardly costs anything."

"I couldn't ask that of them."

"You aren't. It's being offered and you're going to accept it."

"I don't know what to say." Jason replied. His voice thick and heavy as he fought back tears. Even after all the years, he was still amazed at how wonderful his friends were.

"Thank you would be a good start." Tommy teased. Jason chuckled with a small grin.

"Thank you." a small whisper filtered across the room quickly silencing both men.

"Kat!" Tommy exclaimed as he turned around to look at her. She still stared straight ahead, but slowly she nodded her head to acknowledge his presence.

"Tommy?" She asked as he blinked her eyes rapidly.

"I'm here." Tommy nodded as he took her hand in his. "Jason's here too."

"You had me scared Snowflake." Jason said softly as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I... I don't know what happened." Kat said softly.

"It's a long story hun. How are you feeling?" Tommy replied.

"Hungry."

"I'll call down for something." Jason nodded as he stood, but Kat reached out and took his hand in hers. He looked back at her, her sapphire eyes locked onto him full of unshed tears.

"What's wrong Snowflake?" Jason sat back down immediately, pulling her into his arms. Tommy stood up and moved to the table across the room, giving the couple some space.

"I... I was so... so scared Jase." Kat cried, her voice trembling with fear and sadness.

"Talk to me Kat. Tell me what you remember."

"I heard... I heard him again. I felt his hands as if reaching out to me beyond the grave." Kat buried her face into Jason's chest as the tears fell. Tommy watched and listened silently. He'd never heard an account of the incident from Katherine herself. "I felt so helpless."

"It's okay Katherine." Jason hugged her tighter to him as her body began to shake. "He's not here anymore, he can't hurt you ever again. I'm here to protect you."

"I'm so sorry Jason." She whispered.

"What do you have to be sorry for Kat?" Jason half laughed.

"That I let you down." Kat cried even harder. "I let all of you down. I failed to protect the innocent and I failed to stop that monster."

Jason took her by the shoulders forcing her up off his chest so he could look her in the eyes. "Listen to me Katherine, and you listen good. None of this is your fault in any way. You are not responsible no matter what that asshole lawyer said to you."

"He's right though." Kat shook her head, trying to escape Jason's truth. "I should be right there next to Rachel for this trial."

"What makes you say that?"

"Maybe if I had spoken up, Rachel would have spoken up. Maybe we could have stopped him before he killed Liz..."

"Don't do this to yourself Katherine. Living the rest of your life saying 'what if' will not solve anything. What's done is done."

"That's easy for you to say Jason, you're not the one with blood on your hands."

"I'm just as much to blame here Katherine." Jason argued. "If you want to go down that road. Maybe if I hadn't pursued a relationship with you, Liz would still be alive. Maybe if I had reacted faster that night or been paying more attention to our surroundings I would have seen the man hiding in your backseat. He was right there, we could have arrested him that night."

"That's not your..."

"Exactly Kat." Jason cut her off. "There's a thousand and one 'maybes' in this case, but not a one of them matters. What's done is done."

"Jason I just..."

"I wish I knew what you wanted me to say to you Kat." Jason shook his head. "I can tell you all day that it's not your fault and you still blame yourself. I thought we were past this."

"I thought so too." Kat whispered.

"We're not going to the trial Monday morning. I'm keeping you out of it." Jason commented after a few moments.

"But what if..."

"No buts." Jason shook his head. "I'm calling Richard in the morning. We're not going back."

"Can't we get in trouble, we were ordered to be there."

"We've both testified. There's no reason that we have to stay during other testimony. They can call if they want a rebuttal"

"Thank you." Kat nodded slowly.

"I wish I could have kept you out of there beforehand." Jason sighed as he ran a hand through he hair.

"You and me both." Kat agreed.