Billions

Chapter XIX

Dylan

I adjusted my tie in the mirror.

Today was the first day of our case. Well, Rebekah's case. The judge let us start early knowing by the time the case was closed, Rebekah would be 18. She could legally care for Lacey.

These types of cases were tricky. Not only would we need footage, but scars, bruises. All of their bruises have faded but their bigger scars remained. I don't mean Rebekah's cuts on her legs but rather the one on her back. And Lacey's wound from a couple of weeks ago.

They have both been living with me since the incident. Lacey gets out of school in three weeks and we tried to post-pone the case until then but the judge insisted saying our case was "special", whatever that means.

I walked out of my room to see Rebekah and Lacey dressed a bit less casual than normal.

"Ready?" I asked. They both looked at me with utter terror. Neither had said much since the hospital. I hated seeing Rebekah like this, all shut up and afraid. It reminds me too much of when we first met and she flinched at everything.

She's been having anxiety attacks. While her's have been distracting me from my panic attacks causing less, I'd rather have mine than her have them.

We got to the court house in a seemingly short and silent amount of time.

No one was looking forward to this.

----

"So Ms. Brooks..." her father's lawyer began to address her on the stand. "You state that for part of this time you stayed the night at  Mr. Bates' apartment while Lacey was away, correct?"

"Yes."

"What room did you stay in?"

"His."

"Why is it, that in his three bedroom apartment, you stayed in his room?"

"The guest rooms were being renovated." she muttered

"Objection!" her lawyer chimed in. "What does her sleeping arrangements have to do with her at home abuse?"

"Overruled. You may continue, Alan." the judge decided.

Alan? Her and the other lawyer were on a first name basis?

"How do we know these bruises aren't from him?" Alan asked.

I clenched my jaw. He did not.

"All the tapes clearly show my father."

"No, no, I wasn't talking about that. Let me elaborate. Ms. Brooks, while you stayed in his room, did you two ever participate in any sexual activities?" 

Are you fucking serious.

"N-no. I am saving myself until marriage." Her eyes began to water.

"So you are saying nothing came from Dylan Bates?"

Don't freak out Rebekah.

"No. It came from him," she pointed at her father. "That evil son of a bitch repeatedly beat me and my sister when I couldn't stop it. He has raped and molested and violated me in every possible way!"

"Ms. Brooks please do not yell!" the judge said

"Don't you get it? He raped his own daughter when she was 14! He recently stabbed his youngest!" 

The judge slammed her mallet agains her stand. "Order! Order!"

The lawyer cleared his throat. Way to clear it up Rebekah. Her lawyer then approached the stand with a few questions.

"Ms. Brooks." he addressed

"Hello," she squeaked

"If you don't mind me asking, when did this all start."

"I don't know I lost count after four years." 

Murmurs spread through the court room.

"What about your mother?"

"She left. She left when my father got verbally abusive."

The questions continued for about another two hours between me, Lacey, and Bekah. Surprisingly she was holding herself together until her father was put up on the stand and completely lied to save his own skin. I have never seen a 5'3, 110 pound girl so angry before in my life.

----

"In order to win this case, we have to not only prove your father was lying but that you were telling the truth." Our lawyer Brian Scotts said as we all walked down the hall exiting the court house. Lacey was allowed to leave early during recess for school. "I thought we were gonna win by a landslide, and Rebekah's went well besides her little outburst, but Lacey got too emotional over her dad. Alan made a good move by talking about her happy past experiences. It was enough to intrigue the jury but not enough to completely sway them. The next time we put Lacey on the stand won't be until later, but if the other side calls her up I can't do much." He said as we came down the steps. He turned to us.

"Look, I really am not sure if we are gonna win this. We have evidence and proof yes, but in the end, it's Lacey's interest. Because while he will most likely go to jail, Lacey may not end up with you. This case is about custody, not abuse, so you have to prove you are capable of raising her as well as showing your father's guilt. You said you wanted to skip the longer process of abuse then custody and go straight to custody, I warned you of the issues and you still went through with it, no turning back now. For now they will focus on the toxic environment of your household, but soon they will focus on you two. So if you don't have it together, I would get it together. Because Lacey will definitely get taken from him, we just need to make sure she gets handed to you." And with that, Scotts left, and Rebekah sent herself into my arms.

We now sat at the bar by the kitchen in my condo while Lacey watched cartoons on the couch. We sat facing each other, my hands tangled with Rebekah's. 

I really don't get why she would be suitable. I mean sure, she doesn't have a job, and is only gonna be 18 in a few months. But she's a good person. But I guess that wouldn't really win over a jury.

"You need a job," I said.

"Like where?" she asked with  scoff

"I don't know. It's New York City and I think you'll be okay. You also should permanently be living here...since...you know, food, a butler, me to fall back on if things get rough."

"Dylan Bates, are you asking me to move in with you?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I-well-for the case. And a bit for me but mainly the case, and you." I pulled her stool closer to me.

"I think-no, I know we can win this. You have the most amazing heart, you can do more than you give yourself credit for and you...you're just so hard to explain. You know, those things that are so amazing that you just can't explain the feeling? Like love. Rebekah, I lo-"

"Bekah! Can we go out to eat?" Lacey called from over the couch. Rebekah gave a half hearted smile before looking down.

"Yea, of course." she let go of my hands and got off the stool to grab her bag. I stopped her pulling out my card, 

"My treat." her posture relaxed and she gave a relieved sigh before dropping her bag on the floor.

We went to a little pizza shop down the road and sat in the middle of the room at a circular table.

"Can I have a soda?" Lacey asked.

"You can have whatever you want." I smiled before she eagerly looked at the menu for something other than a sweet tea or a lemonade.

I grabbed Rebekah's hand under the table. She needed to know I was here.