Beginning & End

Chapter 16

Rachel's POV

One day while cooking lunch, I got a phone call.

"Is this Rachel Berry?" A male voice said flatly.

"Uh, yeah. Who is this?"

"I'm judge Ray and you and Finn Hudson are being called for the trial of Brody Weston. It will be held on Monday at 11 am. Thank you."

He hung up.

It left me a little scared. Knowing that I'll have to see Brody again. What if they don't find him guilty?

My head starts to burn, I then hear an awful alarm go off. Oh shit, it's the fire alarm. I was so deep in though about Brody, that I burned the lunch.

Finn runs to the kitchen in shock but then he let's out a small laugh while staring at the burning food.

"It's not funny..." I say upset.

"W-what's wrong?" He says slowly approaching me.

"We have to go to Brody's trial."

"Then we'll go and say what really happened, and they'll know he is a big creepy, pervert, stalker. And I'll be with you the whole time. He won't be doing anything to you while I'm around."

I hug him and quietly whisper "Thank you."

*********
Here I am, sitting in the court room with Brody starting at me quite persistently. I feel extremely uncomfortable and sweaty. After Finn was done speaking about the whole knife incident, it was my turn.

I walk up slowly to the microphone and speak in a monotone voice. "I started off dating him, then he would get aggressive. He has these rages when he drinks and he points them at me."

I continue about that night when I met Finn and came home late. I told them the rest and quickly retuned to sit with Finn. He grabbed my hand softly and tried to ignore eye contact with Brody.

I tried doing the same but Brody's stare was pulling me in and I couldn't help but to look at his evil smile spread across his face. I gagged in my mouth.

*********
After a couple hours of waiting around, Judge Ray speaks into the microphone with the same voice he used when calling me on the phone.

"The jury finds Brody Weston guilty, he is sentenced to 11 years in prison, with chance of parole."

I sigh in relief at the jury's decision. Although I was skeptical about the possibility of parole.

Brody is walked out of the room while advised with 2 police officers. Before he leaves the room, he looks me dead in the eye and flashes a horrifying smile.

I have this awful feeling that when he gets out of prison, he'll come back for me. Probably worse then before. Maybe growing out of his armature ways, taking guns instead of knifes.

"Is that a load you can take off your back?" Finn asks me.

"It feels like I've been walking around with it for quite sometime...now I feel like I can finally run without be dragged down."

He smiles down at me and gives me a much needed hug.

"I'm so glad it's all over!" I say crying softly in his shoulder. He wipes my tears away.

"We can finally be a happy couple without the threat of him coming into our lives." He smirks at me.

"That's all I ever wanted, can I let you in on a little secret?" I ask him.

"I would love to hear a secret."

"When I was talking with you at the bar for the first time, I was coming up with all these different scenarios on how I was going to break up with Brody. He had already verbally abused me before, but you finally gave me the courage to stand up for myself and take matters into my own hands."

"In other words, stabbing him with a broken beer bottle...stab for a stab." He says while pointing to wear Brody cut him.

"When he stabbed you, did you think you were gonna...you know-"

"Die?" He interrupts.
I nod.

"I thought about that, but before I blacked out, I caught a glimpse of you. I wasn't going to die and leave you on this earth to suffer."

I look up at him and smile, he responds with his usual goofy smirk smile. I can't help but laugh.

"I'm glad you said that."