Niall's secret twin {Louis Tomlinson fanfic}

Chapter Three

We didn't do much for the rest of that day. The guys were all quite tired from their tour and Phil decided to go hang out with a few of his other friends for the day. Niall and I just caught up a bit while I prepared for court.

The guys were all there. They decided that they wanted to be there for me and so they came once they found that it was okay with me. I mean, they're going to spend two weeks living with me, they deserve to know who I am. I just can't say it directly to them. 

I felt someone grab my hand as we walked into the building and I looked over to see my twin looking at me with a concerned expression.

"You ready?" He asked quietly as we walked into the court room.

"As I'll ever be." I said quietly.

I sat there for an hour before I was called to give my statement against Tom.

I stood at the podium and started.

"Please give your full name for the records." The judge said to me and I nodded. 

"Hi. I'm Elizabeth Alexandrea Stevenson-Horan." I said into the microphone.

"What is your relationship with Mr. Thomas Hops?" The judge asked.

"I'm his ex-girlfriend." I said and I heard the man taking the minutes quickly type this down.

"Please give your statement. Take as much time as needed." The judge sounded gentle and like a decent bloke but I couldn't look up. I stared at the podium as I began.

"Tom and I dated for six months last year. During those six months, he put me through all types of torture possible. At the start, he was nice and sweet to me. I wouldn't of dated him otherwise. Then, about a month in to our relationship, the abuse started. It was verbal at first. He called me names that I don't think are appropriate for a court room and I do not wish to repeat them under any circumstances. He also said how I wasn't worthy of being his girlfriend and I was lucky he was even giving me a shot. I would've, no should've, broken up with him then but I couldn't..." I trailed off, trying to compose myself. "I couldn't because I loved him and I thought he loved me back. Tom was a drunk, I found out later on in our relationship and he was a drug addict as I found out a week before I ran away from him. However, as much as I try, I cannot find it in myself to give Tom the benefit of the doubt and say that everything he said and did to me happened because he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol."

"Miss Stevenson, you said that it started verbal. Did it, at any point, progress into anything more?" The prosecutor asked and I nodded, looking down.

"Yes sir." I said.

"Please, do tell." He told me and I nodded, taking a couple of seconds to calm myself down.

"About a month after the verbal abuse started, Tom came home really mad and fuming and drunk out of his mind. He took his anger out on me and I now have scars on my body from where he physically abused me. It got worse as well. Three months in and he started to confine me and he completely refused to let me out of the apartment. When I tried to escape a couple of times, he would beat me even harder than normal and, once, he locked me in the wardrobe for days with no food." I felt a tear slide down my face and brushed it away quickly. "About five months in and the abuse was taken to a whole other level." I stopped there, unsure how much longer I could go on.

"What level was that, Miss Stevenson, if you don't mind me asking?" The prosecutor asked and I saw the regret in his eyes. He didn't want to ask this. He already knew.

"He raped me." I said quietly. "It happened three times and I haven't been able to trust any guy other than my twin brother fully since." 

"Why didn't you leave the house earlier?" The man asked.

"Because I was scared of what would happen. I was scared and I thought I loved him." I replied.

"And what made you unscared of Mr Hops?" 

"My twin. He came in one day when Tom was out. He had just gotten back home and he came to visit me for a couple of days before going back to Ireland. He found me on the floor covered with blood and new bruises. He helped me up, packed my stuff away and took me back to Ireland. I stayed there with our parents and our older brother for a few months while I found my feet and sorted myself out with my apartment in London." I finished my story and the prosecutor nodded to the judge to show he was happy.

"Thank you Miss Stevenson, you may leave now and you will be contacted with whatever happens next." The kind judge said.

"Thank you, your honour." I whispered, walking back to my twin who was looking shocked and disgusted. I had never told him about the rape. Louis, Liam, Zayn and Harry were there looking shocked, concerned and angry.

We drove home in silence. Louis drove because I was concentrating too hard on not sobbing. As soon as he parked, I ran up to the flat, unlocked the door and ran into my room. I just lay on my bed, crying, clutching my two necklaces in my hands. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door and I looked up to see Louis slipping in.

"Hey." He said quietly and I nodded back in acknowledgement. "Come here, Elizabeth." He said sympathetically, walking over and wrapping his arms around me. I tensed and I felt his grip slacken. "I'm sorry." He whispered, about to let go when I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, burring my head in his chest. He was clearly taken by surprise but recovered quickly, his grip tightening and he rocked backwards and forwards, saying sweet, gentle things into my hair.

"Thanks, Louis." I whispered horsely.

"It's alright, love." He said back quietly, kissing the top of my blonde hair. "You seem tired, why don't you have a nap?" He asked and I obediently got under the covers. He started to leave.

"Louis?" I asked. He turned around to look at me, concerned. "Will you stay?" I knew I sounded pathetic but something about being around the lads made me feel safe. Especially Louis.

"Of course love." He replied, his soft expression softening even more as he slid into the bed behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I lay back so my head was on his chest and fell asleep.

Louis' POV

Elizabeth fell asleep on my chest. She calmed me. After I heard what she went through with that asshole ex-boyfriend, I wanted to punch something. Niall looked like he wanted to as well. To be fair though, I did. Sorry pillow... 

I lay there for ages, just watching Elizabeth as she slept. She looked so peaceful and so... unafraid. Like, in her dreams, she was untouched by Tom and she was properly happy.

It was then that I vowed to myself that I would never let her get hurt again.

I don't think I would be able to cope if she got hurt.

Someone barged into the room.

"Alright, Lou, you've been in here for ages. What's the..." Niall trailed off as he saw the position I was in with his twin.

Crap...