Barbara Dunkelman x reader Reboot

Part 14

-Barbara Pov-

I sigh as I sit with (y/n). I have my laptop open in front of me, as well as my phone next to me, but I haven't really been able to think about doing anything for a long time, even if I do have a lot I need to get done for work. With his head on my shoulder, and my arm around him I could easily sit here all day with him, even if I now there's a lot we need to get done, not just for RT but in general. On top of that, somethings been bothering me all day really, and I don't know how to bring it up.

He already agreed to press charges against Margaret if I would be there with him, which of course I would be, but he hasn't brought it up again in days. I want to do it on his time of course, but I'm just hoping he hasn't forgotten or changed his mind about it. But right now, he looks so peaceful, I don't want to disturb him, but at the same time, the idea that Margaret isn't in prison right now for what she did to him makes me really angry. I don't get how anyone could want to hurt him, and the fact she enjoyed it so much makes me sick to my stomach.

I plant a gentle kiss on his cheek, which makes him smile and then I turn to him, a more serious look on my face. I think he can tell right away what I'm going to be talking about, so I think about how I can gently approach this with him. " A few days ago, we talked about pressing charges against Margaret for what she did to you. Would you still like to do that? I was thinking we could take a few days off to gather some evidence for what happened."

He hesitates for a few moments, so I plant a kiss on his forehead, hoping it's going to calm him down a little bit, so we can have a conversation about this, since I think it is important enough for the two of us to talk about. " I don't want to anymore," he says softly, so I hug him. I realized this might happen, so I'm prepared and calmer for this and then I stroke his back and I feel him calm down a little.

" Why don't you," I ask calmly, and a little bit curious. Before we had this talk, I already went ahead and googled some of the reasons victims of abuse and assault don't want to press charges so I would be able to try and convince him to press charges, and make him realize it wasn't at all because of him. I want him to also feel a little bit safer since everytime the two of us go out in public, I still find him looking out for Margaret or having me do it. It goes to show how much harm abuse can do to someone.

" Well, she only hit me when she got mad, and then I do a lot of things which might make her want to hurt me for it. And really the rest of the time, she wasn't honestly that bad, and then on top of that, she always said she was sorry and that it wasn't going to happen again," he says shakily, and then I kiss his head and hold him close to me. I realize what happened, and what so often happens to victims of abuse, and it breaks my heart a little.

" (y/n) sweetie. You didn't deserve any of it, no matter what she said to you, or what she tried to make you think. If she loved you, or wanted to be with you, then she never would have laid a hand on you to do anything other than love you and cherish you. What she made you think, is what all abusers try to make their victims think they deserved what happened to them, and they make promises they can't, or don't want to keep. Whatever happened, it is not your fault,"I promise him.

He nods, and then I hold him for a few more moments as I feel him calm down all the way, and then I look at him with a soft smile on my face as I wait for him to be ready to talk to me, and then I promise myself I'll respect whatever choice he ends up making in the end. " I guess...I do want her to go to jail. It would make me feel a lot safer, but I guess I'm scared. Of having to testify against her. Of having to see her again." I nod in understanding, and then I peck his head.

" Hey, it's going to be okay. I can take care of you, I promise. You're going to have security with you the entire time, and even if something somehow goes wrong, remember that I can protect you and keep you safe. Not just from her, but from anything that could ever try to hurt you," I promise him, and then he nods and smiles before snuggling into me. I then wrap my arms around him and then hold him close to me. I pepper him with soft kisses as I feel him relax, which makes me smile brightly.

The two of us stay there holding each other for a little bit, and then I continue to pepper him with soft kisses. He sits up, and then I feel him regaining his confidence more and more, which makes me smile brightly, happy that I had been able to help him at all with this. Holding his hand, the two of us then begin to go over some evidence we have, determined to put the woman who ever dared to hurt him away for as long as we possibly can manage to. I promise him, and myself that nothing is going to hurt him, ever again.