A Saviour

Twenty Five

It had been decided by the three Depp's, Johnny, Lily-Rose and Jack that Katie and Belle should make Sweetzer their permanent home with immediate effect. Johnny was more than happy to arrange movers for Katie, but she had insisted that she wasn't that much of a diva, and could sort through most things herself.

Arriving back at her apartment felt strange, not only because it was the first place she had herself, but it was Belle's first home, the place she had bought her home from the hospital to, the place where she tried her first foods, celebrated her first Christmas, birthday, took her first steps, it was a significant place in her relatively short life. As Katie put the key in the door for the second day in a row, she could hear the buzzer going so ran to answer it. It was Stanley who she had only just spoken to downstairs "Katie love, there is somebody down here who has been dropping by to visit but obviously you've not been around. Shall I take her name?" "Stanley, yes please find out who it is." "She tells me her name is Lucie Huk." "Lucie?!! Oh my goodness show her up." "Will do miss."

A rather tall leggy blonde arrived out of the elevator and Kate ran to greet her. "Oh Lucie!!! I've missed you! How are you?!" "I'm good thank you! I've been in town nearly a week and haven't been able to locate you!! Did you change your phone number?" "Oh god yes a few months ago, my ex got back in touch." "Oh fuck, well I can see why you would want to avoid him." "Avoiding him is a little difficult when he's attempting to sue me for custody." "Oh Kate. How is Belle? Where is she?" "Oh she's umm, she's downstairs with my boyfriend." "Boyfriend?" Lucie asked, "Have you been hiding under a rock? It's everywhere." "What's everywhere?" "How many drugs did you do whilst travelling? Who I'm dating is everywhere." "Ok can we stop being so confusing... and I resent the drugs question, I've touched nothing since college." "I'm in a relationship with Johnny Depp." "Woahhh. Yeah Soz totally missed that one. I guess he's not as big in Bali?!" Kate rolled her eyes, she was so happy to be reunited with her only college friend. "Looks like you're moving.. you're not running are you?" "No actually, Johnny asked me to move in with him." "Wow, so this is serious then?" "Yes kinda."

Johnny arrived with Belle on his hip, with Sean and Travis following behind. Travis had Belle's pink backpack over his shoulder and the beefy security guard still looked cool even with the toddler's accessory. "Sorry to interrupt.." Johnny said coming through the open front door. "Don't be.." Kate said with a big smile. "This is Lucie, we shared a dorm in college." "It's a pleasure to meet you Lucie." Johnny said leaning in and kissing the woman's cheek, "God it's an honour Mr Depp. I'm a huge fan." Lucie said almost giggling. "Oh please. It's Johnny and thank you, you must be the one!" He said smirking. "God Belle, you've grown so much!!!" Lucie said spotting the little girl. "Can I?" Lucie asked and Kate nodded. "Belle, do you remember Lucie? She buys you all the noisy birthday and Christmas presents!" The mother said with a jovial roll of her eyes. Belle happily moved from Johnny's arms to Lucie's as Kate introduced Sean and Travis. The latter took a keen interest in the leggy blonde.

"I can't believe I didn't know you were coming, now I can't even offer you a home cooked meal because everything is packed." Kate said sadly. "Seriously? Has this one learnt to sit down and chill out yet?" Lucie said to Johnny who was leaning against the kitchen island, with most of the apartment being completely packed. "Ha. Good question. Even when she sleeps I'm sure she's still thinking, organising and god knows what." Kate smirked "How about I take you to brunch tomorrow? Then maybe one night after work next week we can meet for dinner or something." Kate said sweetly. "Honestly don't stress you've got a lot on but yeah brunch tomorrow sounds nice. Usual place?" Kate giggled "Sure thing. Where are you staying?" "Oh Dad put me up in some swanky place downtown. Only until I pass this interview though then I'm on my own." "You'll smash it I'm sure." Kate said to her friend. "So we've avoided the elephant in the room like the plague. How bad is it?" Lucie asked sincerely. Katie took a deep breath. "Just like before. He makes me feel like the tiniest person in the world, like I don't matter. He uses Belle as an accessory I'm sure. In front of the assessor he's Dad of the year, and then last weekend, when Rosie wasn't there he sat on his phone for the most part. I swear he would have let her come to harm if I hadn't of rushed out." "Christ. And he's serious about custody?" "Apparently so. For somebody who..." Kate bit her lip and whispered the remainder of her sentence "wanted me to SORT the pregnancy out he's now acting as if she's the best thing that ever happened to him." "And Johnny, have you met him?" Lucie asked sipping her coffee. "Unfortunately so. Don't think he likes me much." Johnny said with a smirk. "Or me" Travis said smiling. "Well you don't let anyone within 5 feet of me, so nobody likes you Trav." Kate said giggling when Belle approached and lifted her arms to be picked up. Kate scooped her up and kissed her daughter's head. "I just can't bare the thought that he could hurt her you know? He said he loved me but look what he did do me. She's so innocent in all this. I wish there was a way." "Is there a way?" Lucie asked. "My lawyers are looking into it. At this rate we will need the judge to be convinced he is guilty of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, or if he's involved with drugs and provides an unsafe environment for Belle. Otherwise he could sue for 50% custody." Johnny said bitterly. "Drugs?! Didn't he used to..." Lucie asked and Kate nodded. "Yep." "So we just need to catch him using?" "Oh please.. he's too smooth for that. Besides he's got a bad ass legal team that I'm sure his parents are paying for. I mean come on? He only went to college because of his dad, then that job, I mean please as if he would have got into the financial district on his own merit. Whatever sick game he's playing I'll find out." Kate said sternly. "I really think Lucie is on to something here." Johnny said looking at his girlfriend. "Hey and I can even help. He doesn't know who I am does he?" "God no. Did you ever visit me after we got together. No." "Because I wasn't allowed.. you said he wouldn't let other people into your apartment!" "Incorrect, he only let people he liked and knew into the apartment. I wasn't allowed my own friends." Lucie nodded. "Ok.. so all I need to find out is where's he's staying, I'll score some stuff and get evidence of him in possession." "Luce, I couldn't ask you to do that." "You're not asking me too. I'm volunteering." Johnny licked his lips and Kate could tell he was thinking. "Do you think it could work?" Travis and Sean who had been listening from the living area approached "Sir... if we may.. this could be a great sting operation and Katie, I swear I'll do all I can to take care of Lucie, I would see to it personally." Travis said seriously. Lucie smiled and shrugged "See... I've even got my own bodyguard. We'll ensure Belle never has to go through what you did."