A month later...

California was nice. But it wasn't great.

I used to love the sea and the fresh air, the arcades and the gulls flying high. But it all seemed duller. In fact, since leaving Vegas, the whole world felt duller, like it had lost its lustre, that someone had sucked the colour from the world and left the dull greyness behind.

But I wasn't in California for a holiday, or a some little break. I had gone to California for a reason... to find myself.

To come back the hard ass bitch I arrived as. To be the person I was before, the better version. The version worthy of Zak.

But my plan fell flat on its face when all I could think about was being back in Vegas with him. With questions floating around in my head, wondering if he missed me, if he would welcome me back when I returned, if we were able to work through things or if I had let the ship sail?

I left Vegas to find myself, but truthfully, I realised that my true self was back in Vegas, on the couch, cuddled in with him watching cold case files, eating ice cream on swings and sharing the hot tub whilst looking at the Vegas skyline.

I left me, with him. And it was time to repair myself properly and stop being a cowardly bitch. This is time to make a stand and it let abuse slip by. I would not be like those officers who turned a blind eye, I will stand up and let my voice be heard. Detective Wicks had been keeping me up to speed with everything and I knew this would be my only chance. Now or never.

To do this or let it go.

To do this, or let him win...

And I wasn't going to let that happen.

+++

Pushing my shoulders back, I take a breath.

You will not intimidate me. You will not intimidate me. You will not intimidate me. I am free. I am strong. I am courageous.

Stepping onto the stand, I look across the court room, but don't see him. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turn my eyes to Randy who is glaring at me, dressed in his orange jumpsuit.

A man is between us, his defence attorney, walking back and forth trying to determine which question to start with first.

The thrashing of my heart almost makes me miss his first question, but my mind catches up with me and the fire within my chest ignites.

I am a Phoenix. I will rise.

"Is it true, that there has always been conflict between you and my client?"

Looking at his attorney, I nod "Yes."

"Is it true that the conflict started when my client moved into your home which you shared with your mother?"

"Yes."

"Where was your father?"

"He's dead."

"Were you two close?"

My hand clenched the stand. "Yes."

"Were you a daddy's girl?"

"I guess."

"Did you approve of your mothers and Randy's relationship?"

"N-no." My voice cracked.

"Why not?"

I looked at Randy before looking at his attorney to answer "My mother was vulnerable. She—"

"She was a drug addict, a drinker and abusive, wasn't she?"

I tightened my jaw and saw the smirk on Randy's face. "Yes, she was."

"So she wasn't really that vulnerable. Please continue your previous answer."

"She was vulnerable, she was a drinker and she did take drugs. Sometimes she would lash out. Randy was aiding her, she would be more violent and out of control whilst he was present. He would bring over the drugs."

I watched a few jurors jot something down on their notepads. The attorney saw their movements and shot his eyes back to me.

"How was your relationship with Randy?"

"There was none."

"And why was that?" He questioned.

"He was a bully. Abusive and liked to use his fist or belt. His belt was preferable. That way, he didn't get his hands dirty."

A murmur went around the courtroom before they fell silent again.

"Did you tell your mother?"

"I did."

"And what happened?" He pushed.

"Nothing."

"Why?"

I shrugged "I don't know. More than likely, she didn't want to lose her supplier."

"Or she didn't care enough?"

"You are probably right. She was no real mother. He made sure of it."

"Did you resent him for that?"

"Yes."

"So you're young. A teenager, neglected in and abused in your own words. No father, and your mother was useless. She moves a man in, whose not your father.. You didn't like him. You were close to your father and she replaced him. You don't like their relationship and you say he made sure she wasn't a real mom and you resent him for that. Didn't you?"

"I guess."

He smiled with a wicked gleam in his eye "Would it be right in saying that your claims of the abuse from the hands of my client were fabricated because you did not like him?"

"No."

"Would it be right to say that you made these claims up to cause a wedge between your mother and my client because he was replacing your father?"

"No."

"Ms Winters, there is no evidence to suggest that what you claim even happened. You said your mother was abusive too. How do we know that the injuries which were recorded from the hospital at the time were not ones inflicted by her?"

"There weren't."

"But how do we know? It is just your word. You have no solid proof. Admit it, these are all claims made by a stroppy teenager, who was upset because her mother had moved on and you have made it your personal mission to cause harm to my client and fabricate everything you have claimed! That this is a personal smear campaign!"

I will rise. I am a Phoenix. I will rise. I am strong, I am courageous.

"Proof? You want proof of what that man is capable of? You need evidence to believe my claim?" I ask knowing this would happen.

"Yes. Otherwise this is merely hearsay."

"How about this for evidence?" Gripping my shirt, I pull it up and reveal the scar down my chest, and the slow healing wound of the knife.

I glare at his attorney as his eyes take in the injury, his face falters slightly seeing it before I turn and show the smaller raised scars that were on my back. Gasps were heard across the courtroom and I couldn't work out whether it was from my brazen approach or the scars I had.

"Do you know what I did? To get these? Nothing. Just breathing the same air was enough for him." I replied pulling my shirt down as murmurs broke out across the courtroom making the judge bang the gavel demanding silence.

"I have to live with what he did everyday! I still have nightmares of what he did to me! I ran away from home and had to be taken into the care of my gran because of him! What other evidence do you need? Because I know you have the knife he put in me as well. His prints were on them. Or are we going to dispute that telekinesis made the knife move into my liver?"

"Ms Winters..." The judge speaks making stop and glare at Randy who for the first time looks unsettled in front of the judge and jurors.

"No more questions your honour." The attorney spoke leaving me biting at the bit.

Knowing my luck. I'll get arrested for indecent exposure as soon as I get my ass off this stand!

+++

Standing in the corridor to the court, I leant against the wall and practised deep breathing. It took a few puffs before I felt any difference.

I hated every second on that bastard stand but I wanted to win this battle. This was my last stand and it had to count! He had to go down. Then after, I was free, I had no child to look at everyday, I didn't have to listen to the child ask about their father.

I would be free to move on, hopefully with Zak. If he still wanted me, that is.

"Apparently some woman flashed a court room today?" The voice spoke making me look up to see Zak stood there, dressed in black clothes with his glasses and hair spiked.

"Hey." He smiled.

The sudden urge to spill everything that was in my head rose as my chest tightened. It felt like someone had put a breath of air into my lungs, that I had been walking around for the past month on a single struggled breath. That someone being him..

"H-Hey.." I replied looking at him, unsure of what to say to him.

"So... You're back in Vegas then?"

I  nod, trying to keep my emotions in tact, when all I wanted to do was throw my arms around him and cry. To say I'm sorry at how I left things, how I made it seem the world was against me and how he didn't understand me, when in fact he was the only one that did.

"To stay?" He pushed.

I open my mouth to speak when I notice a woman walking our way "Zak, sweetheart. It's time." She spoke smiling at him.

He looked back at me torn, on wanting to hear what I had to say but duty called and he lifted his finger to me to stay, whilst he headed inside the court room, to give his evidence.

The woman eyed me cautiously before narrowing her eyes and following him in. My heart sank as the door closed and I had no doubt that the woman, was his new girlfriend..

He didn't wait.

Blinking back the tears that were threatening, I pulled a smile and nodded. You're too late Delilah. What did you think would happen? He'd wait for you? Have you seen him? He could have anyone. Your ship sailed away...

I turned to leave, but stopped because I owed him an explanation, I owed him that much after taking off leaving a letter which somehow, now looking back categorised him with some of the blame. When it was me..

Turning back around, I watched the door, before I turned back. Conflicted on what to do, I bit my lip and allowed myself a few tears, wiping them away quickly when I noticed people watching me.

Why was this so difficult?

Because you thought you had a chance at a happy ever after.. and you don't. But he does.

The idea almost crippled me, so I turned for the last time and calmed myself down before heading for the exit. My attorney said that I wouldn't be needed anymore today. That I was done, I had done all that I could and now it was down to the jurors to consider my evidence.

Rushing out the glass doors and down the steps, I placed my hand over the pain in my chest. I was ready to flee again. Like some spineless bitch.

"Delilah?"

My eyes shot up from the sidewalk to see Jack stood beside his car.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Go to hell! This is all your fault! A-and stop stalking me!" I snapped walking away from him.

It's simple, I'm better off alone. I don't need one else. I better off because I can't hurt anyone! And for once? Nobody could hurt me.

+++

The swinging motion was therapeutic, maybe it was the repetition of it? The knowing of what was going to come next? Maybe that's what I found comfort in?

Drawing my shoe through the dirt, I got ready to push myself off again when a pair of shoes stood in front of me.
Without raising my eyes, I stopped and lowered myself ready to vacate the swing for a child.

"Wanna talk about it?" Zak asks making me wipe my tear that slipped out.

"How did you find me?"

"Call it spidey senses." He replied taking the swing beside me.

Sniffing, I pushed off again and let the motion lull my senses a little longer. I don't know how long I swung back and forth or how long he was willing to sit beside me. But I felt I better say something before he walked away again.

"I'm happy to see you."

"Oh that's what the tear was for, huh? You're so happy you couldn't wait to run out the court and can't look at me. You're just gonna keep running away, like some child."

I frowned at my shoes "Why did you come here? To lecture me? Because I could do without it."

"Well tough, you're getting it. You know when you left, I hated you. I hated your fucking guts."

I bit my lip and tried to will myself not to cry. I tried to stop making this about me and let him have his say. I owed him this much!

"I had everything I wanted to say to you, in my head. For when I saw you again. I was going to tell you, and shout and maybe even scream at you."

"So why didn't you?" I croaked "I deserve it. This isn't me getting a sympathy vote or a guilt trip. You deserve to be mad."

"I do... And I wanna be so mad at you. But I can't. I didn't know you were giving evidence. What made you change your mind?"

"Leaving you. It made me realise that I was lucky to have had your support those few weeks. That a young girl didn't have that. She had a child, a constant reminder and one day that child would ask who it's father was. I had no right to be this ball of anger and sadness. Because I had you."

"I understood you Delilah. Perfectly well, and I knew deep down you needed to give evidence, but you had to believe in yourself. That you were strong enough to give it. Be honest, if I took the softly approach, you would still be at home, hiding in the shadows. Waiting to see if he got off. Am I right?"

"I guess." I whispered.

"And that's no way to live."

"But I had you and a home.." I added.

"I know.." He inhaled sharply before getting to his feet.

Looking up at him, I smiled "Thank you for believing in me when I didn't."

He held out his hand and waited for me. "Come home. Gracie misses you."

"Just Gracie?" I ask standing up to smooth out my skirt. His eyes move down my body and linger for a second.

His hand drops and he closed the gap between us before taking my face gently. His thumb pad soothes over my bottom lip gently making a warmth spread through my body. His eyes look over my face before he shifts to observe me completely.

"Take out those lens before you get to the front door." He speaks before dropping his hand and walking away.