"Miss Walsh, do you have any proof Mr. Walsh raped you?"
"No.."
"Well, that's done... the Backstreet Boys, did you let your father know where you were staying? Did you call him to let him know you were okay?"
"No, I didn't want to have anything to do with him ever again. That's why I RAN AWAY in the first place. I didn't mean to run into these guys."
"Why not? Your mother left you under his care, he treated you like his own, don't you think he has the right to know where you are and if you're alright?"
Karen looked at her stepfather, "Yes.." she said quietly.
"Sorry I couldn't hear you.."
"Yes.." she said louder.
"So you admit you should have called?"
"Yes.."
Brian looked at Karen, he knew he couldn't do anything to help her up there, she was about to burst any second now, he could feel her pain. Brian put his head down, Nick put his arm around Brian. "It's alright Brian. She'll get through this." he whispered.
"Miss Walsh, when you first heard about this case, you're father wanting you back... did the boys tell you immediately?"
"They told me first thing in the morning the day after...."
"They didn't even attempt to call you as soon as they found out?"
"I.. I don't know.. I wasn't there..."
"Where were you?"
"At Nick's house."
"Why were you at Nick's house?"
Mo "I went over there to talk about some things, we were having problems..."
"What type of problems?"
"Nick was my boyfriend.... I'd like to keep my personal life to myself thank you."
"Was your boyfriend? So you had a relationship with this man?"
"Yes.." she said weakly.
"And you guys broke it off.... hmmm.. was it because you weren't pleasing him?"
"What? That has nothing to do with this." Karen protected.
"Yes it does Miss Walsh, Mr. and Mrs. Wright told us earlier that the boys get what they want and when their done with it they throw it away, Well, Nick's finished with you because you didn't give him what he wanted.... and why would you stay with these men knowing that they'll throw you on the side of the road when you're not useful anymore..... answer the question Miss Walsh." Mr. Spencer pressed.
Karen started to cry even harder. Brian looked at the man in horror, 'How could he ask her that?'
Nick stood up in anger, "Your honour, what happened between me and Karen is our problem not his! We did not break up because she didn't please me...."
Mr. Spencer looked at Nick, "I'm not asking you the question, I'm asking Miss Walsh, now please sit down." he said rudely.
Nick looked at him with furious eyes, "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO...." he said as Brian pulled him back down.
"Order, Order!" Judge Foreman said. "Mr. Crane, you better keep your clients in control or I will make my decision in favor of Mr. Walsh..."
Mr. Crane nodded.
"Nick, calm down.." Brian said.
Theresa looked at Nick, she knew he still cared for Karen but she wanted to go and give him a hug. 'I just hope they win this case.'
"Well, your honour, see what kind of behaviour Karen is subjected too, can you see what kind of influence these boys have put on her.." Mr. Spencer said. "Anyways, Karen, I'll move on... have the guys ever forced you to do anything you didn't want to do?"
"No..."
"Okay, has the boys ever bought you an expensive gift?"
Karen looked at her wrist, the ID braclet Brian got her. Then she remembered the diamond earrings Howie got her. She also remembered the locket Nick got her for the one week anniversary. "Yes..."
"Well, your honour I have no further questions.." Mr. Spencer said backing away, pleased with his accomplishment. Which was to make one of the boys crack.
"Miss Walsh you can step down. Mr. Crane, any other witnesses?" Judge Foreman asked.
Karen walked back to her seat trembling more than ever. Brian wrapped his arm around her trying to comfort her, she just cried harder. She looked up at her stepfather who was smiling at her. She was disgusted.
"Yes, one more.... Miss Christy Parish.." Mr. Crane said.
Karen looked up and saw her once best friend walking up to the stand. She didn't know that Christy was a witness, she hadn't seen her in a long time. Karen was surprised, she watched Christy as she nervously placed her hand on the bible.
"Miss Parish, do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth..?
"I do."
Brian looked at Karen, who was looking at this girl with complete confusion, "Karen do you know that girl?" he asked.
"She was my best friend in high school, she stopped talking to me, but I never knew why. Do you know why she's here?" Karen asked.
"Well, I guess we're about to find out." Brian sighed.
"Miss Parish, do you know Miss Walsh and Mr. Walsh?"
"Yes, I do, Karen was my best friend since elementary and Mr. Walsh is her stepfather."
"Karen told us, you stopped talking to her, but never gave a reason why.. can we ask why?"
"Well, when Karen's mother married Mr. Parish, Karen kept telling me how she wasn't happy with him, I was worried about her, so some times I'd go home with her to make sure she was okay. She had been through alot and I grew up with her seeing her try to cope with everything that's happened.... it hurt me seeing her like this. She could have any guy she wanted in the school in her last three years in high school and she turned them all down. I knew things at home weren't going to well, so I'd come over every night to make sure nothing else happened. Mrs. Walsh would ask Mr. Walsh to drive me home because it was late. I lived 4 blocks away and the whole way there....Mr. Walsh..." Christy started to cry.
"It's okay.. Christy, tell the court exactly what you told me..." Mr. Crane eased her.
Christy nodded, "Mr. Walsh would rub my thighs with his.. hands.. and he would feel my breasts....Well, the first couple of times he drove me straight home, but...as time came....."
"What else would happen?"
"Well, this one time... he drove me to this secluded place... and he turned the engine off... he undid my pants and stuck his hand in my panties. He wo..would take his fingers, lick them and stick them in me... I didn't know what to do so I let him.. He was stronger than me...."
"Christy, tell the court what else he did...."
"..He would lift my shirt over my head and undo my bra.. he would feel out my breasts and kiss me... everywhere..." she started to cry harder. "This one time.. he undid his own pants and tried to get me to please him but I pushed him away."
"Why didn't you just stop getting rides from him?"
"He said that if I told anyone or refused a ride from him that he would hunt me down and screw me until I...." Christy cried harder.
"It's okay, Christy, get it all out now, he can't hurt you right now..." Mr. Crane said.
"...he also said that if I went to the cops or told Karen, he would.. kill me..." Christy said.
Karen looked at Christy with hurtful eyes, 'I didn't know.. how could I let him do that..?' Karen cried.
"Christy, why did you stop talking to Karen?"
"I couldn't face her, her stepfather was threatening me and I decided to shut myself out from her and her family, hoping Mr. Walsh would leave me alone..."
"And did he?"
"No.."
"When was the last time he contacted you?" Mr. Crane asked.
"A week ago.."
"What did he do?"
"He held a gun to my head and he had sex with me..."
"Where?"
"He snuck into my bedroom.."
"Were your parents home?"
"Yes... they were in the room down the hall."
"And they didn't suspect anything?"
"Well, they did, but he made me tell them it was alright..."
"No further questions your honour." Mr. Crane said to Judge Foreman.
The jury had listened to this case quite intently and each story they heard made it even more difficult to make their decision, but this last one was much more convincing.
"Mr. Spencer?" the judge asked.
Mr. Spencer looked at his client, he didn't know about this girl, "No questions your honour." He knew with that witness, he had just lost a case....
"Is that all your witnesses?" the judge asked Mr. Crane.
"Yes, that is all."
"Well, Mr. Crane, any last words that you would like to say to the jury."
"Yes.." he stood up. "To the jury, judge and court room, my clients here are innocent individuals, the Backstreet Boys only wanted to help a girl they found that was homeless, all their lives they've made dreams come true all over the world, why can't they do that now? They are only supporting what they have heard and they put it up to Karen to decide what she wanted to do. And she CHOSE to stay with them. They knew she had no money, so they helped her out a little bit. They only wanted to make her feel special, something that she never felt before. As for the raping and abuse, there may be no physical proof, but the scars are left in her heart, she will never be able to heal those scars, no technology, no plastic sugery, nothing can heal that heart, except maybe from LOVE that these boys have given her in the past couple of months. The only way she could finally put this away and move on is if this man, Mr. Walsh, gets the punishment he deserves. Not only will he not be able harm Karen again, he won't be able to harm Christy and anyone else around him. This man does not deserve to be walking the streets unsupervised, he shouldn't be walking the streets at all. Please find it in your heart and search for what you think is right to do with this man. Thank you."
As Mr. Crane walked back to his seat, he could feel tears in his eyes, he looked around the room and everyone was wiping the tears away from their eyes.
Judge Foreman looked at Mr. Spencer. "Do you have a final say?"
Mr. Spencer stood up, "To the jury and judge, Mr. Walsh took Karen and her mother into his life, to allow them to start over. Without him Karen would not be here today, who knows where she'd be, or if she'd even be alive. He married her mother and loved her. He accepted Karen as his daughter and tried his best to be a father. But Karen obviously pushed him away, not wanting to accept the fact that her father was gone and her life was just about to begin. She ran away, and these Backstreet Boys took her in and SAID they'd change her life around. They didn't even make her call her father to let him know if she was doing okay. You can't change a person's life around by bribing them with expensive gifts and asking them for pleasure and then dumping them the next minute.." he looked at Nick, who was furious. "...These boys may have the fame and fortune, but nothing can buy love, nothing can break a bond as strong as a father and a daughter. Even though Mr. Walsh is not Karen's biological father, he raised and supported her to a point where he deserves to be treated back with respect and love. He needs his daughter more than ever and he wants to fulfill her mother's wishes. Thank you."
"Well, we have heard both sides of the stories. The jury will decide. There is no telling how long it will take. We will take a recess until tomorrow morning. Court adjourned." Judge Foreman said.
"ALL RISE!!"
Everyone got up and the judge and jury left. Brian held on to Karen, "Don't worry, we're going to win this case."
Mr. Walsh walked up to Karen, "Honey, I love you."
"Go away, Mr. Walsh, she doesn't want to talk to you." Brian protected. "You've put her through enough don't you think?" He shot an angry look.
Mr. Walsh walked away and left the court room in a huff.
Nick and Theresa met in each other's arms. "Nick, are you okay?" Theresa asked.
"Yeah, I can't believe that guy, he had no right in saying that I used her.. I didn't.."
"We know that, he doesn't know the truth, we, your friends know the real reasons." Theresa comforted.
"Thank you Theresa, what would I do without you?" Nick said embracing her. "Let's go see how Karen in coping."
"Okay." The two walked over to Brian and Karen. Brian was holding her, she was crying in his arms. "Has she stopped crying yet?"
"No, this is really killing her." Brian said worried. "All this, is making her fall apart. I can't see her like this."
"Don't worry, Brian, once we find out that Mr. Walsh is going to jail for the rest of his life, everything will be back to normal." Theresa said.
"Yeah, Rok. Just one more day and that monster is finally going to be in jail." Nick said putting his arm around Brian. Nick looked down at Karen. "Karen, let's go home, you need some rest, we've been in this courtroom for 8 hours, we need to get some rest... all of us. Especially you."
Karen kept her head in Brian's chest and nodded. Everyone walked out of the courtroom and the security guards surrounded them. Leigh Anne in Jordan's arms alarmed the press. Karen in Brian's arms made the press and fans suspicious. Theresa and Nick holding hands brought some questions as well. Dawn and Aaron walked close together but made no contact because they didn't want the press to start anything. A.J. had his arms around Amanda. Kevin and Howie at the front of the group. As they stepped outside the building cameras flashed and reporters started to shoot questions again. "You guys were in there for almost 8 hours now, do you think you have the case in your hands?"
"Brian, aren't you and Leigh Anne together? Why does Jordan Knight have his arms around her?"
"Does this mean you and Karen are an item?"
"Karen, your stepfather was just out here and he said that you lied in there, did you?"
Karen looked up and over the crowd, she spotted Christy looking at her. Karen pushed her way throught the crowd and away from Brian and ran to Christy. She immediately gave Christy hug, tears flowing crazily. "Christy? I didn't know he did that to you. Why didn't you tell me? I'm sorry for what he's done to you.."
"No, Karen, I knew something was up and I guess I experiened what he had done to you, but I was stupid enough to let our friendship go to waste by that stupid bastard," Christy sobbed.
"Christy, you were my only friend, you stood up for me, you watched over me, you were the sister I never had and to lose you with no explanation broke my heart..."
"I'm sorry, I should have told you, then we could have went to the cops together and he would have been in jail a long time ago."
The press had followed Karen to the reunion. Brian tried to make his way to her, but fans stopped him for an autograph, he knew if he ignored them rumours would start and a war would corrupt. Security guards took note of this and pulled the fans away. Everyone else had already climbed into their vehicles waiting to see if Brian and Karen would make it back okay. Eventually Brian made his way to the center of the pack and said to Karen, "Karen, we've got to go, the press is going to crawl all over us if we don't get out of here soon."
Karen looked at Brian, "Can Christy come with us?"
Christy looked at her surprised.
Brian looked at Christy and smiled, "Yeah, I'd like to get to know your friend..."
The security guards hovered over the three and made a path to the car. The three climbed in and they all drove back to Brian's place.
© 1999fanfic4all@yahoo.com