Chapter 30

I sat quiet. The officer was staring at me waiting for me to answer. After about 10 minutes he put his pen down and linked his hand together.

"Ms. Patrick, I know it might be hard to discuss these things but if you tell us all the details we will be able to do something for you. You can't hold out on us."

"Yeah well no offense but I have trusted the justice system one to many times and pretty much got stabbed in the back." I crossed my legs.

"What is it a traumatic experience, is that why you don't want to talk about it? When can set an appointment with a therapist."

"It's nothing shocking. I just feel the need to protect my family and if I open my mouth I don't know what will happen."

"So he threatened your family?"

"I'm not saying anything, it's my right." He stood up and walked to the door but stopped before he opened it.

"Yes it is your right, but if you tell us what happen it's his word against yours and I think it's safe to say a jury will take your word over his any day. This is your chance to protect your family." I sighed as the other officer got up to follow him.

"Wait." I put my head down. "You have to promise me something will be done." I looked up at both of them.

"If you give us the honest truth we can help you." They both sat back down and he picked up his pen again.

"Okay well, I was walking home from my AA meeting. My sponsor usually walked me home but he had to leave early because his wife just went into labor. I was about 4 blocks away from home when Justin pulled up and threw me in his car. I didn't have the chance to fight seeing that he had a gun. He took me to his apartment he had got about 2 years after he got out of prison. Pretty much he gave me a beat down, broke one of my ribs and kept me there for about 4 hours. Right before he threw me out he put the gun to my head and said that if I can't keep my mouth shut or in anyway hurt Brian he would hunt ever member of my family down. He said he start with Riley since we were the closest and well you see how that worked out."

"Why didn't you tell someone about this." I rolled my eyes.

"He was out of prison in a year after what he did! I wasn't taking that chance again."

"Nobody noticed your broken rib or your bruises?"

"I went to the hospital myself and was a self pay patient. The police came to talk to me but I told them I was rushing to my AA meeting and flew down 2 flights of stairs, plus all the bruises were on my stomach."

"Your parents didn't ask where you where?"

"Told them I was with Brian." I leaned my arms on the table. "I pretty much thought everything out carefully so no one would notice anything, I even pretended I was sick so my mom wouldn't ask why I wasn't getting out of bed."

"Okay." He was looking down at his paper jotting everything down. "Alright we are going to try to talk to your brother right now. We are going to need you to write all this down at some point so don't go any where far."

"I wasn't planning on it." He smiled and walked me out of the room. I headed back to the waiting room. Nick was still there and to my surprise Chris was sitting next to him and they were talking.

"Hey." Chris got up and hugged me. "You alright, what did they want?"

"They needed to ask me questions but I'm fine, nice to see you."

"You too, I'm going to the cafeteria, want something."

"A coffee would be great, with soy milk if they have it, if not just black."

"No problem." He kissed me on the head and him, Brandon, Johnny and Josh all walked to the elevator.

"How you doing?" Nick pushed a loose piece of hair behind my ear as I was sitting down.

"I'm fine, I'm just kind of in my own world right now." I laid my head down on his lap. "Where are my parents?"

"They went to Josh's house to get some Of Riley stuff." He ran his fingers threw my hair.

"I'm sorry about this." I sat up and looked at him. "This is just crazy."

"Why are you sorry, just stop saying that."

"Because when you met me you didn't even know what you were getting yourself into. I feel that you feel obligated to be here or even to stay with me because you feel bad. If you don't want to be with me just tell me please, I will understand."

"Kate you are nuts right now. If I didn't want to be with you I wouldn't, If I didn't want to be here I wouldn't. I love you and I want to make this work." He kissed me. "Plus if Justin and Brian just go the fuck away I think we be the perfect couple." He smiled.

"Thanks." I rested my head into his chest. "They are processing my restraining orders."

"Really?" He looked down at me.

"Yep, but I don't know what they will do and Johnny just told me that everyone wants me to come back to Denver." I sat back up.

"Yeah? are you thinking about going?" He sounded very disappointed.

"I don't know. I mean I know I need to go back for at least 2 weeks when Riley gets better, but I don't no if I want to leave Arlington."

"Why don't you want to leave." He grinned.

"Well I'm not sure" I said sarcastically. "You see I met this boy, he is kind of an asshole but he is pretty hot so I'm thinking I should stick around for a bit."

"Oh Really, he sounds like an amazing person."

"I don't no about all that!" He laughed as he gave me another kiss. I laid back down on his lap.

"Well there is your whole Irish clan." Nick laughed as I got up and saw all the boys walking off the elevator with a shit load of food and drinks.

"Jesus guys! You think we are going to be here for a month?!" I leaned up and looked in one of the boxes and took a donut. "Want one?" I looked at Nick.

"Got any muffins?" Johnny chimed in with a face full of donuts.

"We got muffins, eggs, bagels, donuts, cereal, name it we got it!"

"Toss me a muffin." Nick said laughing at Johnny.

"They didn't have soy milk sis." Johnny handed me my coffee.

"That's cool." I took the coffee and screamed when I pretty much burned my tongue off.

"Let it cool down wild child!" Chris said as he started laughing. I looked over at Nick.

"Isn't my family crazy?" He smiled.

"I don't think that explains it."

"I will take that as a compliment." Brandon looked over and smiled.

We all pretty much ate everything that they brought up. It was about 3:30 when the doctor came out to finally talk to us.

"Well everybody." She seemed nervous talking to all of us. "He is awake and the blood transfusions went well, we can allow 2 visitors at a time." We all looked at each other.

"I think Kate and Josh should go first." Johnny stood up.

"Yeah that sounds good." Josh walked over to me.

"You good to go?"

"Yeah." I sat my coffee down and gave Nick a hug.

"I might not be here when your done, I can't miss my game."

"I would never want you too, and it's fine." I gave him a kiss.

"Good luck."

"Thanks." I followed Josh to Riley's room.