Issues // H.S. // A.U.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

TRIGGER WARNING

TRIGGER WARNING

TRIGGER WARNING

TRIGGER WARNING

TRIGGER WARNING

Please be careful, loves. This is a rather traumatic chapter that was hard to write, and could be very hard to read for some of you. This is the worst of my chapters involving sexual abuse and rape, and starts to calm back down in this matter from now on.

HARRY

I had already given my statement to the police officers, and now was waiting for the girls to be done. When we arrived at the station, Mickie had asked Dani to call her parents for her while she filed the report. Officers took her into a room to talk about everything, and she had been there for two hours now. My statement had only lasted about fifteen or twenty minutes, and then they took Dani into a room.

I knew she would be in there for a while since her story was years in the making. She was talking to a different officer than Mickie, the same one who had taken my statement, and I thought she seemed really fair. Never had I gotten the feeling that they were questioning the idea that either Dani or Mickie were lying. Maybe that was my privilege talking, but it was also my hope. Although I didn't necessarily trust in the justice system, I needed to in this moment. I needed to believe that they could help them.

When Mickie was first taken away, Dani had hugged me right away. I could feel her shaking in my arms, scared of what she was about to do. I was so fucking proud of her, though. She was so brave for doing this, and I loved her so much for it. The care and understanding she had exhibited with Mickie was heartwarming, but her declaration at the end - how she convinced Mickie that she had all the power now - was striking.

I had seen the fire build up in her eyes as she convinced her to not make the same mistake she had. The way she agreed to come forward without hesitation, and the resolve mixed with fear when she realized what she did. She didn't back down, though. She stayed strong, and walked hand-in-hand to the police station with her.

Every encouraging word I could muster, I whispered into her ear. She felt so fragile, but this time she was letting me in. She was letting people in. For years she had kept everyone at arms length, only allowing them to see what she wanted them to. I hoped she felt free now, like she could open up to the people she had let into her life.

My heart broke when she whispered against my chest how scared she was. I held her tighter, kissing her hairline. She told me to go first when they came up to us, so she could call Mickie's parents. I think she was also putting it off a little to gather her thoughts. This was a huge step for her, and would take a lot out of her.

She's been gone for so long now, and I hated that I couldn't be in the room with her. I couldn't imagine what she was going through right now, what horrors she was reliving. It made my stomach turn, palms rubbing my face as exhaustion started to set in. It was well past midnight now, inching closer to one in the morning. The adrenaline started to wear off a while ago, and the lack of sleep was setting in again, but I was trying really hard to keep my focus on Dani. She was going to need me tonight, and I'm sure nightmares were going to haunt her while she tried to rest.

My head shot up when I heard a woman ask about Mickie, seeing her parents running up to the front desk. I stood up, and made my way over to them as the police officer on duty was telling them that she was speaking to some officers.

"Mr. and Mrs. Larter?" I ask cautiously.

Her mom gives me a sharp look, brows furrowed, obvious worry in her face. "Yes?"