The Dark Hour

--------Skyla--------

I watched Astrid leave the room and I was going to follow her when Ridge started talking again.

"I-I told Axel what they told me and he said we were going to listen to them for now. He was going to get the cops and get me out of the house as soon as he could. I didn't want to go, c-cause I was scared that he wouldn't be able to get me back out or that my uncle was going to hurt me ag-"

"He's lying!" Ridge's uncle yelled. I saw Ridge flinch. Astrid walked back in and sat down.

"What happened?"

"His uncle is making a scene," I whispered.

"Of course he is."

"When doesn't he." Axel butted in. The judge banged his gavel.

"Order!" Ridge's uncle sat back down and crossed his arms.

"As you were saying Ridge."

"W-We um Axel talked me through his plan and I-I agreed to go through it. He drove me to the house and I really didn't want to go in but I didn't want Lalna to get hurt. I went inside and I went up to my room and locked the door. I-I fell asleep and when I woke up there was this girl on m-me."

"You said you locked the door right. How did she get in you're room?"

"My uncle has keys to every room in the house," Ridge said softly. The girl nodded.

"What happened next?"

"I-I pushed her off of me. I didn't know her or what she was doing in my room. I-I asked who she was and she just said to call her Rose. I-I asked her how she got in and she said she was hired to f-fix me."

"I would like to call a recess, he needs a break."

"Granted." Ridge quickly got down from the stand and walked out the door. Astrid quickly got up and followed him along with Axel. Lalna and I were right behind them. We found Ridge just outside the door sitting by the wall.

"Hey you're doing good in there Ridge." He rubbed his eyes and sniffled.

"R-Really?"

"Yeah you are doing very well you're not leaving anything out which is good." He looked down at his feet.

"I really don't want to talk anymore." Astrid sighed.

"Ridge you need to tell your side till they say that they are done questioning you. Just stay strong you can do this."

"Hey, when we're done here I'll get you some ice cream," I said trying to cheer him up. He smiled for a second. Astrid smiled and nodded.

"Yeah for being brave, for going through this."

"Ridge trust me I know how to feels to go through this, I have to do it when I was five and I still remember like it was yesterday." Axel said patting his head. Lalna hugged him and he hugged Lalna back. He sighed shakily.

"Ok, I-I think I'm ready." Astrid nodded.

"Let's go win this battle like we did the other one." I helped Ridge up and I smiled at him.

"You can do this, just tell it the way it happened." Ridge nodded. We went back into the room.

"Okay Ridge I'm going to show you a few pictures that the police took when you went in for your statement."

"Ok." She turned on the TV and it showed the bruises that Ridge had.

"So Ridge you can say that these bruises A and B are from your uncle hitting you right?" Ridge nodded. "He also gave you a black eye along with a busted lip correct." Ridge nodded again. I saw him hold his left side. She nodded. "That is all." She said taking a seat. Ridge quickly got up and went back to his seat. Carl's lawyer stood up.

"I would like to have Carl to the stand." Carl got up and calmly walked up to the stand. "Please tell us you're side of the story and don't leave anything out."

"Well I had no idea that my nephew's friend went missing. When I came home I was actually surprised to see him there. He had been staying at his friend's house for a while and I really never got to see him. I brought my friend over after this house party that we went to and she was drunk and I was tired. She said she was going to go upstairs and lay down and I said that was fine. So while she went upstairs I laid down on the couch." I didn't believe a word he said.

"So you're telling me that you didn't lay a hand on Ridge that night."

"I didn't see him until my friend woke me up to tell me he was there. I did try and hug him and I think I may have squeezed him a bit too hard but that was all I remember doing." The guy nodded.

"So you didn't know that you're friend hurt Ridge. Or that she was in his room for a while."

"No I did not. I assumed she went up to my room not Ridge's, and even if she did go up to Ridge's room I didn't know he was there."

"Thank you Carl. One last question, did Ridge ever bring Lalna around the house?"

"No, I never allowed him to bring that boy around the house. He's changed Ridge so much for the worst and I swear it's like he's the devil's spawn."

"I'm the devil's spawn Lalna's the angel!" Astrid yelled quickly standing up.

"Astrid," I hissed. "Sit down." Astrid looked around and slowly sat back down and sunk down in her seat.

"I'm going to get her out of here." Axel said getting Astrid out of the room.

"Anyways," Carl sighed. "That's all I remember. I would never hurt my nephew, my brother left him in my care why would I hurt him?"

"That's all I have Annabeth your turn to question." The girl stood up and sighed

"Maybe you hurt Ridge because what he is. Why do you not like Ridge being around other guys? It seems like you keep him cooped up in the house all the time."

"I would rather see him with a nice girl than that boy he is always with. I just want what's best for him and if that includes keeping him home instead of out with some boy then I would keep him home as much as possible."

"So is that why you hit Ridge cause you weren't happy with what he was doing with his life?"

"I never touched him."

"Lair!" I shouted.

"Skyla," Lalna whispered.

"So how do you explain the bruises that fit your fist from when the cops arrested you. Explain that Carl!"

"I plead the fifth." Annabeth smiled.

"I rest my case." Carl was taken from the stand and his lawyer called for a recess. His reason was because it was lunch time. I stayed with Ridge and Lalna, just incase anything happened.