"Leah Payne! There she is," a reporter screamed as she exited the precinct.

"Just keep walking and keep your head down," Claire said, walking right beside her to the car.

"Back up!" William shouted, following behind her.

"No one come any closer!" A security guard screamed, barricading them. Simone set up Leah with security now that everyone was trying to get near her. She couldn't go anywhere without a camera in her face.

As they approached the black Suburban, William opened the door and the security guards stood on each side. Leah entered the vehicle and Claire got in behind her.

William shut the door and got into the passenger-seat of the vehicle. He turned around to see Leah glaring out the window at the crowd that surrounded her.

All the excitement was scaring her and he could see it in her eyes. She could feel his eyes on her and turned to him. Their eyes met and he gave her a small grin, signaling how proud he was of her.

Claire sat close to her and held onto her hands while the security guards tried to get the crowd away from the vehicle so that the car could get through.

"Hello," William faced forward and answered his phone.

"Yeah. Hey, Simone. I'm with her and we're leaving now," he explained to Simone on the other line.

"I really don't kno- Are you going to Claire's?" He took the phone from his ear and turned to ask Leah.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Claire interrupted. "I'm pretty sure reporters will be waiting outside. They're all over," she added.

Leah just sat their in silence. Her thoughts were all jumbled and she couldn't focus on anything that was being said to her.

"Leah, I'm taking you to May's," William said, reaching back for her hand. "They're all over my house too."

She looked up at him finally realizing what was being said. "I can't do that to her. I don't want to bring her into any of this."

"It's okay. She's fine with it. We just need to make sure we aren't being followed." He picked up the phone and told Simone to make sure the security kept an eye out for anyone following them.

They pulled into Claire's parking garage, where Leah and William got into Dion's car and made their way over to May's house.

Dion parked inside of the garage to their house, not wanting anyone to see them enter.

"Alright, y'all be safe. I gotta get back to work and May should be here in a minute," Dion said as he opened the garage door and pulled out.

William shut the door behind them after seeing Dion begin to pull out.

"You feeling okay?"

"Mmhmmm", she replied, taking off her coat.

"Let me get that for you." Will took her jacket and she made her way over to the couch, taking a seat.

William watched as she pulled her phone out and opened it, instantly hitting the lock button and putting it face down on the couch, taking a deep breath and looking up at him.

Her eyes followed him as he walked over to her and sat across from her. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and folded his hands.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked.

She took another deep breath and rested her head on the couch, closing her eyes.

"I don't know."

Will stood up and went over to the couch she was seated on, taking a seat beside her. "You know you can tell me how you're feeling, right?" he said, watching her bit her lip.

"I know," she said, now opening her eyes and leaning forward. "I don't know how I feel to be completely honest," she said, facing him.

"I expected this to be hard but not this hard," she sighed. "I'm trying to stay off social media but it's like I can see it everywhere."

William stayed silent and allowed her to say how she was feeling. "I don't know if I'm doing the right thing," she concluded, resting her face in her hands.

"Le, look at me," he said, pulling her hands from her face. "Of course you're doing the right thing. That man hurt you and he deserves everything he has coming," William said, feeling his anger begin to rise at the thought of Jonah hurting her.

"I promise you that you're not alone, okay" he said, holding her cheek. "I got you."

His eyes flickered from her eyes to her lip as he held her cheek in his hand. Leah's eyes did the same as she sat facing him, fiddling with her fingers. There was a warm silence, as Will pulled her face closer to his.

"Uncle Will!" Peyton said, running into the living room. "Look at what I made at school," she screamed, running to hug him.

"Hi, Princess," he chuckled, kissing her cheek. "I know you see Leah sitting here, girl," he mugged, tickling her.

"Hi, Lele," she said, immediately turning her attention to her book bag to show off the picture she drew at school.

"Hi, Peyton. Hey, May," Leah waved, standing up to hug May as she walked over to her.

"Hi, baby. You good?" May asked, pulling out from the hug and putting Leah's hair behind her shoulders. She nodded her head and sat back down next to Will.

"Where's Kacey?" Peyton asked now walking over to the fridge to put up her drawing.

"She's with her Grammy. I'll bring her to see you soon," she smiled.

"How about you get out of that uniform and wash those hands. I don't know where they've been," May chuckled, placing her hand on Peyton's back and leading her in the direction of the stairs.

As they walked away, William turned to Leah.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask you this. The lawyer needs any photos you have or messages of him apologizing in order to help the case," he said, grabbing her hand.

"Okay, I have them," she said, ducking her head, fiddling her fingers around his.

"Okay, good. You just need to forward them to his email,"

"Okay, I think May has better ones on her phone,"

"What do you mean?"

"Well... she took photos of my body that day so she could put it in some file," she said softly, realizing that William was beginning to get irritated.

"What do you mean that day? She knew?" he said, releasing his hand from her grasp. "She knew and she didn't tell me?"

"Will, I begged her no-What's going on down here?" May came down the stairs, hesitantly.

"May," he turned around to her and said, closing his eyes. "You knew this whole time and you didn't tell me?"

"I knew what?"

"Don't play dumb. You knew what that motherfucker was doing and you let me smile up in his face like a dumbass,"

"Will, stop. It's not her fault. I asked her not to say anything. She was just helping me."

"How could she have been helping you if she didn't help you go to the police. She just knew and that's it. Does that make any sense," he screamed, holding his finger to his head, facing May.

"William, calm down. I didn't wan- No. that's bullshit," he said, walking out to the back porch.

Leah walked over to May who just stood there watching her brother pace back and fourth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you involved."

"It's fine. He's just upset," she said, holding back tears. "He cares about you a lot. I understand where he's coming from," May said as she walked back up the stairs to find Peyton.

"Will?" Leah said, closing the sliding doors to the back yard. He looked up at her and sat down, putting his hands over his head and taking deep breaths.

"You can't be mad at her," she said, leaning on the back porch railing. "She wanted to tell you the minute she found out but I begged her not to."

"You were hurt and she didn't tell me," he said, bouncing his leg.

"Will," she came and crouched in front of him, holding his hands that were now covering his face. "I was scared and I didn't know what to do. I chose not to go to the police. If it's anyone's fault it's mine," she sniffled.

"It's not your fault," he said, picking his head up, his eyes meeting hers.

"I just don't want you to be upset," she whispered, looking down.

"I'm not upset," he said as she picked her head up. "I just wish you would've come to me." 

"I'm sorry,"

"You don't have to apologize," he said standing up and pulling her up by her hands. "I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you. Always," he concluded, pulling her in for a hug and kissing her forehead.