Becoming Whole Again

Chapter 13

(Olivia's POV)
It's the day of arraignment. It starts at 9:00 and Dominick still isn't here. Where the hell is he? I called him.
"Hello?" he sounded like he was half asleep.
"Carisi, where the hell are you?" I said.
"....uh....my apartment?..." he sounded confused.
"Did you forget something today?" I was being a smart ass.
"No?...I don't think so?..." he said and I heard Carli in the background.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"Serge." he replied to her.
"Sonny, dammit, it's arraignment day. Get your ass down here." I hung up.
(Sonny's POV)
"...shit..." I whispered.
"What is it? What did she want?" Carli asked.
I didn't want to say but I had no choice.
"I completely forgot. It's arraignment day..." I said staring into her beautiful blue eyes.
They filled with fear and she started shaking. Her eyes began to fill with tears.
"No...Sonny...I-" she began.
"It's okay, sweetheart. I'll be with you the whole time. I'm not going to let him hurt you." my voice was calm even though I was a nervous wreck on the inside.
I didn't want to bring my girlfriend around that sick bastard after what he did to her. The rape, causing her PTSD, making her cut herself, etc.
He's the reason she went into a coma. He's the reason I almost lost the love of my life.
Carli sighed and wiped her eyes.
"Okay..." she said.
We got up and rushed to get dressed. We scrambled in the car and sped to the court house. The entire ride was completely silent. We pulled up to the court house and got out of the car, still silent. Carli grabbed my hand and squeezed it as we walked up the steps.
We went inside the court room and Olivia was sitting there with the rest of the squad.
Olivia got up.
"There you are. Jesus, Dominick." she said relieved.
"Sorry, Serge. I forgot..." this was an awkward situation.
We all sat down and Carli grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. I caressed the back of it to comfort her.
"How does the defendant plead?" the judge asked.
"Guilty." Chuck blurted out.
"Chuck! Be quiet! Not guilty your honor." Chuck's attorney said.
"No. Guilty. I did it. I raped Carli Shelton." he said once again.
"Mr. Wiley, do you understand the consequences you're facing?" the judge was surprised.
"Yes, I'm ready to take full responsibility for doing my ex girlfriend's sister slow on the bed in her dark apartment." he said and a sly smile spread across his face.
Carli put her face in her hands and began silently crying. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close to me.
"Mr. Wiley! I will not have that in my court room! One more outburst like that and I'll hold you in contempt." the judge was pissed.
There was a short pause.
"What are the people on bail?" she asked Barba.
"The people request remand, your honor, the defendant is a huge flight risk and has no ties to the community." Barba replied.
"Any objections?" she looked at Chuck's attorney.
"None, you're honor." he said and trailed off.
"Okay. The defendant will be remanded until trial. Court adjourned." she banged the gavel and headed to her quarters.
Carli, the rest of the squad, and I stood up. Everyone else starting filing out of the court room but we stayed. I wrapped my arms around Carli and kissed her forehead. She was shaking.
"It's alright. He can't hurt you." I whispered in her ear.
She hugged me tighter, and I wasn't about to let go either. I wanted to comfort her for as long as she needed it.
Amanda was looking at me and her eyes welled with tears. She started to walk away.
"Amanda....wait...." I tried to stop her but she left the room. I went after her.
She was outside leaning against the wall, crying. As soon as she saw me, she bolted for the door.
"Amanda! Wait!" I ran after her and lightly grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me, Dominick!!!" she was fighting me off.
"Listen to me. Please!" I begged.
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say to me. You're an asshole, Dominick. You have no idea how bad you hurt me. So just....leave me alone." she said and tried to walk away again.
I grabbed her by the arm again, spun her around, and hugged her. I didn't mean to it just kind of happened... Her body relaxed.
"Listen to me, Amanda. I'm sorry. I was such a jerk. I never meant to hurt you. But when I realized what I had done something inside me just snapped. I had betrayed the one I love." I rushed to get it all out.
Amanda didn't say anything. She just continued to hug me. She was crying into my shoulder. Carli came out of the court room with Olivia and saw me. She looked at me really upset and ran into the bathroom and slammed the door. Great.
"I love you, Sonny." Amanda said through gaps of air.
I didn't know what to say. She kept hugging me tighter and tighter by the second.
"I know you do, Amanda, I know...but I'm with Carli....I love her. You're my friend, Rollins, and that's all. I'm not saying I wouldn't go out with you but I feel like Carli is my destiny." I said and didn't even think about what I said.
"What?" Amanda backed up and stared at me.
"....why are you staring at me like that?" I was really confused.
"Did you not hear yourself a second ago?" she was smiling.
"No...what did I say? And will you quit that! It's creeping me out!" I said.
"You said 'I'm not saying I wouldn't go out with you.' that means you would if Carli wasn't around." She was still smiling.
Shit. Did I really say that? I mean well...it's true but Amanda is still a friend to me.
"I did? Oh...well...I don't know." I trailed off.
"Goodbye, Sonny." she said and quickly kissed me before running out the door.
Okay. Um. That did not just happen. That was gross.
I ran over to the bathroom door and knocked, with Olivia standing behind me.
I heard a sniffle from the other side and then a voice.
"Who is it?" Carli asked and her voice was cracking. She was crying. Oh my god I'm an ass.
I opened my mouth to say something but Olivia spoke for me. She gave me a look like 'I got this'.
"It's me, Olivia." she said.
Carli opened the door and looked at Olivia. Then she saw me and tried to shut the door again. I put my hand on it and shoved it open.
"Carli, listen to me, what you saw. That wasn't what it looked like." I said explaining.
"It sure looked like you were hugging your new girlfriend." she said crying.
"My new girlfr-what are you talking about? Carli! I was apologizing to her like you and Sergeant had asked me to! The hug was accidental. It didn't mean anything!" I was scared now.
"How can a hug be accidental?" she said staring me in the eyes.
"She was trying to get away from me so I grabbed her arm and spun her around and I accidentally spun her into a hug. I didn't mean to do it." I said sadly.
Carli was silent and just stared at me as a tear streamed down her cheek.
"It was just an apology?" she asked.
"Yes." I said.
"Okay, I believe you." she said and she hugged me. I kissed the top of her head.
So many things were rushing through my brain right now.
I decided to take Carli home so she could rest. Trial was in 3 weeks. I tried to make her as happy as possible. But just one thing...
Carli was in the shower and I was standing in the kitchen, thinking. I'm going to do it. It has to be done.
I left the apartment and headed to the jewelry store.