Before You, He Had Me

Twenty-Four

Meg startles slightly, her foot automatically lifting off the pedal as her phone rings beside her.

"I need to take this. I'm sorry." She comments to Hillary before stepping into the hallway.

"Pamela?" She answers quietly, her free arm wrapped around herself.

"Megan, good. So sorry it's taken a few weeks to get back to you. The DNA tests came back finally and we have confirmed that there is a 90% chance the man you identified at the party is the man who assaulted you at the club."

"Finally." She can't help but chuckle softly, relieved to hear it.

"Yes, but there is some not so good news."

"What?" Megan's throats suddenly tightens, a chill running down her spine.

"He posted bail, and is out on the streets again. Until a formal charge can be written up and a judge put him back behind bars without bail for his crime he is free on a promise to appear."

"Fuck." She mumbles, taking a few deep breathes through her nose. Her hand automatically dropping slightly to encompass her stomach. At least he doesn't know about that detail.

"I wish I had better news for you, Megan. But at least we have some solid evidence against him. Forward me your lawyers number when you can and I will work with them to make this as painless as possible on you."

"I'll have it all to you by the end of next week. Calum's out of town for a bit and he was helping a lot with those things."

"Thank you. And stay safe, Megan."

"Ya." She sighs, letting the phone drop from her ear.

How can he be free? He knows where she lives, or at least where someone she knows lives, but she has a feeling he knows she lives there...

And of course it had to be now, with Calum half a world away, her safe place with all of this unreachable for the next week.

"Megan, is everything okay?" She startles as Hillary's voice breaks through her panic, only realizing how dizzy she feels as her bosses hands secure to her arms to steady her.

"Sorry. Got some bad news." She tries to ground herself, silently naming off things she can see.

"You don't look so good, Megan, do you have someone we can call to come get you? Or should I get someone to drive you home."

"Um..." She tries to think, but honestly her mind is so dizzy she can't hardly think.

"Back in the office let's get you sat down. I'll have Steven take you home." Hillary guides her carefully back through the door and into a soft chair.

"I'm sorry. I'm not usually this flustered." Meg says as Hillary hands her a water bottle.

"It's quite alright, everyone has these days. Do you have someone to talk to about whatever is going on?"

Meg nods, sipping slowly at the water while Hillary does something on her phone, slowly managing to get the fuzziness to dissipate from the far reaches of her eyes, at least for the most part.

"Steven is waiting out front, would you like me to walk you out?"

"Please." Meg shocks herself with how quickly she responds, the fear in her voice noticeable.

"Whatever is going on, Megan, please take care of yourself, and if it is significant enough talk to me, we can figure something out." She hates that she can hear the concern in her bosses voice. She doesn't want to seem weak, not to Hillary.