13. Reunited

(AN: I'm DEFINITELY still gonna be updating regularly, so don't worry about what I'm about to say:I got a job as a hostess and even though it's only part time, there will be days I can't update. It shouldn't happen too often but I was just letting you guys know. I won't abandon any of my stories, and those who are reading Stork, (go check it out if you aren't! It's in My Works!) I will update the story! I'm just having some writer's block. Comment some ideas for it!So...yeah. Anyways, enjoy chapter 13!)

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"How do you plan on doing that? Neither will confess."

"Are your daughter and Ashley testifying?"

I don't want to put her through that. Ashley said she would when - if - the time came. "Ashley is."

"You know Ellie should test-"

"I know but she's...she's only 14 an-"

"15," half the squad says.

"Whatever. She's still a baby to me."

"And she always will. Why don't you ask her?"

*Ellie's POV*

"Okay, bye," I say as I hang up with Ashley. I smile. My best friend isn't long gone, after all I guess.

As I stand up and get my popcorn from the microwave, I hear a knock at the door.

I start opening the bag as I limp over to the door. In front of me is a very business-y looking woman with ginger locks.

"Hi, is Elliot around?" she asks.

"Uh huh...?" I ask confusedly. Luckily, Elliot is quick to come into the room.

"Case, what are you doing here?"

"Liv is still at the precinct but we need to talk about the trial."

The munching on my popcorn slows as I know what she's going to tell me.

I sit on one side of the couch and whoever this Casey Novak is sits on the other. I'm just gonna go with the guess that she was there was I was conceived and born but I don't remember.

"So your mother tells me she isn't sure if you want to testify against your attackers," Casey states very matter-of-factly.

"So she talks for me now," I say. "Wait. Does it even matter? Last time I checked they skipped out on the scene of a rape."

Casey raises her eyebrows but doesn't take the bait. "Caught them this morning. In interrogation now."

I nod, looking up at Elliot. I know he knew. And he's knows I knew he knew. He's not looking at me for that very reason. Avoiding the glare that people tell me I get from my mom.

Casey shifts in her seat. "So, your mom does get final say. But she'll agree to whatever you decide."

"Mhm."

"Well you definitely have the Benson sass," she comments. "I think you'll be great on the stands, to be honest."

I roll my eyes. "Is Ashley testifying?"

"You know her?"

"She's only my best friend," I say, grabbing my popcorn. "Is she?"

"I think yes. But this has to be your decision."

I keep munching on my popcorn, wishing my best friend was here. We'd give me the look that said we'd agree with each other. I just have to take Casey's word for it. And I don't even know it.

"I guess I will."

The half-ass, passive-aggressive answers are my mom's thing too. Casey detects it.

"Alright. We'll be able to talk about all the specifics later. Stay off that foot, alright?"

I let out an airy laugh. "We've only had a five minute conversation and you're already telling me that."

She smiles and goes to show herself out. I get up too, defying her, and throw my unpopped kernels away. We look at each other and she raises her eyebrows again.

"Defiant too, huh? Bending the rules like your mother does."

"They're both something, alright." Elliot comments.

I roll my eyes and shift my weight to my good foot. They both laugh at something else, apparently, I do like my mom.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ashley comes at me and hugs me as I go to hug her. We've been apart for far too much longer then either of us we used to. Joined at the hip since 1st grade.

"What happened to you?!" she asks, stepping back, looking down at my foot.

I'm suddenly annoyed she was told I was here for moral support. I don't want to tell her. "You'll see," I say.

Mom looks at me but I look away.

I know how court and arraignment and all that works, so I sit down and rest my foot while Mom shows Ashley where to sit and what's going to happen. I roll my eyes as she talks, because she's sugar coating it. With monstrous amounts of teeth-rotting crystals.

I shift my cast so it makes noise. Just enough for Ashley to look at me. I give her a look that says "we'll talk later".

Ashley is scared, but not too scared. She knows they'll all be sitting there. But they won't be able to hurt her. And anything they would do doesn't stack up to what they already did. We both survived it.

We go back to my house and sit in my room.

"So now are you going to tell me what happened?" Ashley asks carefully.

"I will. But the only other person who can know anything about it is Jordyn. And I have to tell her."

"Okay."

"Your mom was right to move you."

Her jaw drops. "What?" she asks.

"We'll remember how she moved you guys away because she felt unsafe with know unfound perps?"

She nods.

"She was right. They found me. And raped me. I'm not testifying as a witness or anything for you. I'm testifying as a victim."

She sits back and closes her mouth, then goes by the door.

"What are you-"

"Shh!"

I watch her as she goes by the door and presses her ear to it. All of a sudden, she rams the side of her fist into the wood. I hear some commotion and I know that means someone was listening. Damn, I'm usually the paranoid one. I guess she had a right to be this time.

She sits on the bed with me again, plugging her phone into my dock so music plays. She talks quietly though.

"When?" she asks."Not too long ago. 10 days?"

"How?""How do you think? I was at the store and when I left, they grabbed me. They put me in a car and took me somewhere and raped me."

She nods and hugs me. It's not that I don't appreciate it, but I just feel so uncomfortable with human connection right now.

We sit in silence for a little bit before she speaks up again. "What...What's it gonna be like tomorrow? Do you know?"

I nod, readjusting my position. "Arraignment's easy. Casey, the redhead, is gonna argue with someone else about if there should be bail or not and where the perps will stay until court."

"What about when I have to testify?"

"You're gonna sit in the courtroom until you're called up. You're gonna sit in that chair next to the judge. Casey will ask you to tell your story and some other questions. The other attorney will ask you about other things that happened. He or she will try to trick and confuse you. Ask questions that you don't know the answers to to which Casey will object..." I trail off. I haven't been to many court cases but I know how it all works.

"Like what?" Ashley asks.

"Why were you out so late? Why were you dressed so...provocatively? Why were you alone? Why did you leave the front door open and/or unlocked? They'll ask about the party, whether you drank or had sex or anything. They might even ask about things that dint even happen. It's going to be hard, but don't get overly upset. The other attorney will use that to their advantage. The perps will watch you ad try to psyche you out. Just watch the floor. Or me. Or my mom or Casey or anyone else."

She nods. I know she's really scared, now that it's happening. I am too, but I know what to expect.

"They're gonna ask me why I went to the store with a boot on my foot. They may even bring up the fact Amanda made me go. Why I was at Amanda's. You know the reason, right? To help me cope with what happened to you. The attorney will use that and say I'm incompetent to stand trial or make me seem weak in general to the jury. I'm in way worse than you are."

I realize what I just said. I can't act weak in any way because of the facts. But I have to be upset because otherwise they'll think I don't care, and in turn, they wonder why I'm pressing charges.