Authors note: This chapter contains discussions of molestation. If this is a triggering topic for you please move on to the next chapter.

Also, I am not a lawyer or anyway work in the legal field. So if this is not accurate that is why.

Thank You

/\/\/\/\

Lorelai sat down in the courtroom. It was the day of court and she had been asked to testify on what Francine Lines had done to her as a child. She was the only victim that had come forward. She knew Becca hadn't and that she hadn't told her boss anything and that her law firm was still representing her. She didn't like it, but she knew it wasn't her business to get involved.

The whole team was there. Some of them were testifying as well but the rest were there as support. There were others there to support Lorelai as well.

At this point, Derek and Theo also knew that the firm Becca worked for was representing Francine but that she had excused herself. Becca was there too but as a support person for Lorelai.

When it came time for Lorelai to she got on the stand. She was asked about what she remembered of Miss Lines from her childhood. Lorelai told the truth. Everything she remembered. Eventually, the defense lawyer got her shot at questioning her.

"So let me get this right. You came forwards with years of abuse at the hands of others but didn't tell anyone about what Miss Lines did to you as a child until you claim she abducted you and held you, hostage. Seems kind of coincidental don't you think?" The lawyer asked

"No. I don't. I had repressed the memory for many years. Only came back when she started to chant at me in Arabic while she was being integrated for abducting me and holding me hostage." Lorelai said

"So, this woman, who has never had anyone come forward, outside of yourself, even after it was put on the news that she had been arrested and charged molested you? No one else is making these claims so why should we believe that she picked only one of the girls in that home to molest?" The lawyer asked.

"Just because no one else came forward doesn't mean no one else was. Some people don't want to come forward for fear of repercussion." Lorelai said

"Sure. If she was still out on the loose. But she has been in jail since then. None of the victims would have to worry." The lawyer said

"Objection. Where is the question?" The prosecution lawyer said

"Sustained." The judge said

"What would any possible victims have to fear with the accused being in jail?" The lawyer asked

"Charges don't always stick," Lorelai said. "She could in theory be released."

"Well. Do you know anyone else who claims to be molested by Miss Lines?" The lawyer asked

Lorelai took a breath. "Yes. I do."

"Who?" The lawyer asked

"I would rather not answer that." She said

"Why? Because your lying?" The lawyer asked

"No. Because I can only tell my story. Telling someone else's story wouldn't be right or fair to that person." She said

"If you won't tell then you must be lying." The lawyer said

"Objection evidence?" the prosecutions lawyer said

"The evidence is in the fact that she isn't giving up the name." The defense lawyer said

The judge looked at Lorelai. "Would telling the court the name of this other victim or victims cause them any harm?"

"It could yes your honor," Lorelai said.

"Objection sustained. She does not need to answer that." The judge said

"Your honor. She isn't answering because she is lying and that would do -her great harm. Both personally and professionally. Perjuring herself on the stand. She would lose her job. And potentially much more." The defence lawyer said.

"The objection is sustained. Move on." The judge said

"What exactly caused you to remember this supposed repressed memory?" The lawyer asked

"When she was chanting at me in Arabic during the interrogation it made me remember that she did that to me as a child. And it brought me back to that day. When she was backing me into a corner hugging my stuffed bear when she ripped the stuffed bear out of my hands and then proceeded to rip off my clothing and molest me." Lorelai said holding back tears.

"How old were you again?" The lawyer asked.

"I believe I was around four," Lorelai said.

"You believe?" The lawyer asked.

"I was young. And I had been lied to about my age. It makes it hard to remember the exact age." Lorelai said.

"Is it possible that because you were so young that you are remembering wrong?" The lawyer asked

"No. Of that my memory I am clear. She ripped the clothing off my body and molested me." She said

"And yet you have no one to corroborate that day." The lawyer said before walking away.

"Objection!" The prosecution lawyer said.

"Sustained. The jury will disregard that statement." The Judge said

"Defence rests." The lawyer said

"You may step down." The judge said to Lorelai. Lorelai nodded and did so and went and sat back down next to her team.

Emily squeezed her knee. "You did good," She whispered.

Lorelai nodded.

It came to the end of the day, and they were not done so the judge ordered that the case be picked up the next day. Everyone started to leave the courtroom

The prosecution lawyer stopped Lorelai. "Can we talk please?"

Lorelai stayed back with the lawyer till the room was cleared. "You didn't think I should know there were other victims?"

Lorelai sighed. "It's not relevant because she doesn't want to come forward with it."

"Miss Lines is going to be charged with your abduction and being held hostage and the abduction of Lennox I have no doubt in that, but we are losing for the charges of child molestation." The lawyer said

"She will still be in prison. And if someone comes forward later then there will be corroboration." Lorelai said

"Please. Just give me a name." The lawyer said

"No," Lorelai said before she walked away and left the courtroom.

Aaron went over to her. "You okay?" he asked

"No. But I will be." She said

Spencer came over to her too. "Come on. I'm going to take you home."

"No. Um. I think I need a drink. I'll meet you at home later." Lorelai said

"Okay," Spencer said. He kissed her head and went

"You want company?" Aaron asked

She shook her head. "Just need some time to think."

"Okay. Call me if you need to talk." Aaron said before he hugged her and went off.

Lorelai went to a bar not far from the courthouse and took a seat at the bar. She ordered a beer.

It wasn't long before someone came and sat next to her. She looked up. "Will. Hey." She said with a small chuckle.

"Hi. I know. I always seem to find you when you're drinking." He said with a small smile. "Your dad mentioned you came to get a drink. I thought maybe you could use someone to talk to." Will said before he ordered a drink as well.

"Nope. Nothing really to talk about." Lorelai said

"I get why you're not giving a name. I think given the person you are it makes sense. You will always protect the girls in that home. But would this person do the same for you?" Will asked

"Yes. She would." Lorelai said

"And would you let her?" Will asked

"Probably not no," Lorelai said. "I would come forward."

"Does the person know how much stress this is causing you?" Will asked

"I don't know," Lorelai said.

"Have you asked them to come forward?" Will asked

"Yes. But I understand why she's not. I wasn't lying when I told the judge it would affect her life greatly if I named her." Lorelai said

"I believe that," Will said. "I don't think you would ever take a risk like that and perjure yourself on the stand."

"That would be bad on so many levels. Could you imagine what my father would do?" Lorelai said shaking her head a bit.

"Yup. You would be in trouble from a lot of people." Will said

"I'm sure you would be less than impressed too," Lorelai said

"Your right. I wouldn't be. Neither would JJ." Will said

"And the thought of losing everyone I love and the job I love would not be worth taking the risk and lying on the stand," Lorelai said

Will nodded. "Well. Want my advice?"

"Sure," Lorelai said

"You have two options. You can tell her name to the court or not. But whatever choice you make you need to accept whatever comes of that. And move on with your life knowing whatever decision you make is the right one." Will said

Lorelai nodded. "I know. I just. I don't know what to do. I don't want her to get away with it. But I don't want to give the name and ruin someone else's life." Lorelai said

"Would it ruin their lives as much as you think?" Will asked

"Oh yeah. Very much so." Lorelai said. She looked at her phone when it rang, and she sighed. She pressed ignore and put her phone down.

"Someone you don't want to talk to I take it?" He asked

"Local news. They have been trying to get me for an interview. For a few years actually. Since someone leaked my information." Lorelai said

"Did you ever find out who did that?" Will asked.

"Yup. I did. And I spoke to the person. They confirmed it." Lorelai said

"You press charges?" Will asked

"Nope. He's already in prison. For a long time." Lorelai said. "And keeps getting time added because he keeps getting into fights and got caught with a crap ton of contraband," Lorelai said.

"Ah. Him." Will said

"Yup," Lorelai said

"Who knows who it was?" Will asked

"Not many people. I have to ask you not to tell anyone." Lorelai said

"I won't tell anyone," Will said

"Thank you." Lorelai said "I don't want it to get back to Becca. She is trying to forgive him, and he is her brother."

Will nodded. "You do not need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"Oh. Now you tell me." She said with a small smile

Will shook his head. "So local news trying to get you to tell your story?"

"Yes. Years ago, when my story was leaked they wanted me to corroborate the story. They stopped after a few months but now…" Lorelai said

"Interest is peaked again." Will finished

"Yup," Lorelai said taking a sip of her beer.

The two continued to talk.

/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, when Rossi got home the sitter told him that Jules was watching TV and suddenly seemed upset and ran to her room and locked herself in it.

"What was she watching?" Dave asked

"She had been watching some cartoons when I went to start lunch and when she ran off upset and I went back to the room it was on the news. They were talking about that high-profile case in court right now." The sitter told him. The sitter was unaware of the connection to that case that Jules could have had.

Dave took a breath. He was trying to keep her away from this. He had tried to ask her about her time in the home without giving her too much information.

"I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't let me in or talk to me at all." The sitter said

"It's okay. I will figure it out," Dave said he paid the sitter and let her go.

He went up to Jules's room and knocked.

"I don't want to talk right now," Jules called out. She had heard her dad come in.

"Jules. Please. We need to." Dave said

"No, we don't…" Jules said

"Jules. Please." Dave said again

"Did you think you could just skirt about the topic when you asked me about that home a few weeks ago and I wouldn't figure it out?" Jules asked voice laced with attitude.

Dave sighed. "I was trying to protect you… Maybe I was wrong. But can you please open the door so we can talk?"

"No," Jules said.

"Julianna. You cant stay in there forever." He said

"Watch me." She said the attitude not getting less.

"Julianna. If you don't want to talk we don't have to but unblock the door. It's not safe. I will leave you alone but unblock the door." He said before he walked away from the door.

Jules didn't move from her bed. Truth was. She had lied when her dad had asked her about the time in the home. If anyone had ever touched her. It was too hard for Jules to talk to her dad about that. She didn't know about what was going on though. She didn't know that the woman who had touched her was in court for doing that to someone else who had been in the home. She hadn't watched enough of the news to see if they named who was testifying and now she wished she had…

A couple of hours later Dave knocked on her door. "Dinner."

"Not hungry." She said

Dave went to open the door and realized it was still blocked.

"Julianna. I told you to unblock this door." Dave said sternly.

Jules got up and unblocked it and opened it. "Sorry."

"Come eat. I know you haven't eaten since breakfast. We don't have to talk about anything. But you must be starving." He said

She shook her head. "No. I'm really not hungry." She said

Dave felt her forehead.

She smiled a bit. "I'm not sick. Just not hungry."

Dave nodded. "Well, the food will be there when you are." He said

He went back downstairs and sat at the table with a sigh. He called Lorelai.

/\/\/\/\

Lorelai looked at her phone ready to lose her mind. She was still at the bar. She saw it was Dave and calmed a bit. She answered.

"Hey, Dave. What's up?" She asked

"I'm assuming if the other girl who you know was Jules you would tell me. Right?" Dave asked

"Well. I don't know if I would. But I will tell you it's not her." Lorelai said. "Why? Do you think she was?"

"I don't know. I asked her a few weeks ago. Without going into too much detail about what was going on. She told me no. And well. She turned on the news today when the sitter was making lunch and saw about the case. And she seems very upset about it… And won't talk to me about it." Dave said

"Speaking from experience. It's not an easy thing to talk about with a parent. She and Joy are pretty close, right? Maybe you could ask her to talk to her." Lorelai suggested

"I think you and Jules are closer," Dave said.

"You want me to come and talk to her? I don't know if that's a good idea. I'm at a bar. I've had a couple of drinks. I don't think I'm able to right now." Lorelai said

"You drunk?" Dave asked

"Not drunk no. But also, not sober." She said

"Okay. That's okay. Just make sure you don't drive." Dave said

"Wouldn't even think about it. I'll cab." Lorelai said

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow." Dave said before they hung up.

Lorelai looked up at Will.

"Dave thinks Jules might have been?" Will asked

"She told him no when he asked but she saw the news. I guess Dave didn't tell her fully what was going on and she's upset, and he thinks maybe she wasn't completely honest…" Lorelai said "And he was hoping I would go talk to her… Maybe I should."

"Lorelai. We both know that you are not at a place where you can right now. It's okay. Dave can handle it I'm sure." He said

"But she might not want to tell him… She might talk to me about it…" Lorelai said

"You do not need to carry the whole world on your shoulder." He reminded her.

Lorelai nodded.

She finished the drink she was working on before she paid. "I'm going to head home," Lorelai said

"I can drive you," Will said. He had only had one drink and it had been a couple of hours. He felt confident that he could drive safely and that there wasn't any alcohol left in his system.

He drove her home. Before he went home.