Spark (GH Series #5)

Part 22

Jack

"That dirty..." Ellie was pacing the floor. The detectives have not long left the apartment with the news that not only did Grant make bail, his family posted it for him, but that he was able to return home. Thankfully, the courts had agreed to our restraining order as I had my lawyer push for it as had and as fast as she could. "He said I made it all up. Every beating, every bruise, every..." I let Ellie pace, I figured when it was the right time, I would hug her and hopefully she would start to somewhat calm down.

"I know, but we knew there was a high chance of him being released, with prison overcrowding and his loaded parents." Ellie shot me a look that indicated that I wasn't helping her train or thought or the situation. "However, you are protected in a way that he isn't allowed to contact you, nor is he allowed to be within a hundred feet of you. I know it's not much consolation, but it's all I can give you right now."

"No, it's not." I looked puzzled and regarded Ellie for a moment. "Can you please hold me?" There it is, now was the right time for Ellie. I held out my arms and she sat down on the sofa, sinking herself into them and I wrapped my arms around her. She shuffled a few times to get comfortable and sighed into my chest. "When will this be over? I just want a normal life again."

"I'd like to say soon, but it depends on the court system really."

"Thanks for putting me in touch with your lawyer, she is kind, but I have a feeling she will be a pit-bull when she is in court." I smiled to myself and I knew exactly what she meant.

"She is and she will fight long and hard for you, believe me. I've not needed to use her much, more for work related things, but when she gets going, she goes." Silence fell amongst us and I focused on the television, not sure what the hell was on it, but it just gave me something to focus on. "I wish I could have hurt him more that day, you know?" Ellie pulled back slightly and looked up at me. "I should have injured him more than just busting his nose." The overwhelming need to protect Ellie at the forefront again and her hand reached up and she made me focus on her face.

"Then I would have lost you and I can't even begin to imagine not having you in my life or banged up in jail for assault." I swallowed hard and I did notice her eyes deflect down to my lips and back up. But I knew I wouldn't let her kiss me, not now. "Plus, Carson would have killed you." That made me chuckle and I nodded my head in agreement. "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you, you know, for everything. It's extremely hard when people don't believe in what you are saying. Even my own parents didn't believe me. They said Grant was a kindred spirit, soft lad and that he wouldn't harm me in any shape or form." So, that was the conversation she had with her parents that she had refused to talk about the other day.

Ellie had come home from work one night, quite late on and breezed passed me, offering me a quick hello and went straight to her bedroom. She stayed in there for the rest of the night, and it was strange when she didn't join me in bed, but I wasn't going to push for the information. One thing I have learned about Ellie, is that you have to give her time to assess what's happened before she will open up to you about what is troubling her. "They said what? For fucks sake Ellie. You should have come to me with this sooner." I cringed when I said it. What could I have done really?

"I know I could have, probably should have, instead of mulling it over for hours, but I need to compartmentalise everything. Jack there is something I need to show you and I don't want you to think any less of me." I started to panic and for some reason, I thought Ellie had started self-harming or something and my stomach was in knots.

"Why would I think anything less of you Ellie?"

"Because it's harrowing." I frowned and wasn't sure what Ellie was getting at, but she came back through with her laptop and sat it down in front of us. "Just let me go through it all and then we can talk, if you want, afterwards." Then the slideshow started. With every picture there was a word document on the next slide, detailing everything that had happened, why it happened, how it made Ellie feel and then a familiar picture of Carson, Ellie and I popped up on the screen from Malta. The three of us laughing and I was standing next to Carson and Ellie was at her other side. The description after it, well that nearly broke me.

Then came the final shots, the night of the wedding. I don't know when she had time to take the photographs, but the description afterwards had me standing to me feet, excusing myself and I went to the bathroom and lost the contents of my stomach. A soft knock on the bathroom door rang in my ears. "Jack?" I flushed the toilet and quickly brushed my teeth before opening the door. On sight of Ellie, I pulled her into me and held on to her. Her truth is more brutal than I ever comprehended, yet she chose to share it with me.

"I certainly do not think anything less of you, Ellie. If anything, it has made me realise what a strong and resilient woman you truly are. But to put up with that form of abuse for so long, I'm not sure I can understand that." We made our way back to the living room and sat down on the sofa.

"I had this overwhelming need to feel wanted, to feel loved and he...sweet talked his way out of every situation and then when I started hanging out with Carson more then you, it unfortunately made him into the green-eyed monster."

"You do realise that there is someone potentially out there for you that can provide you with that love, that want, that need, that protection, don't you?"

"I hope so. But right now, I can't see tomorrow or the next day far enough. I just take every day as it comes and I just need to close the Grant chapter behind me, for good. I know that some days, I will think if I'm good enough, or is my dress too short. That mindset will hopefully change in time."

"I will look forward to meeting the authentic you."

"You have already. Carson's wedding. Dancing with you, hanging out with my friends, laughing, genuinely laughing and having fun, that's me. Then there is the nerdy geeky side of me that loves numbers and maths, that I can complete Sudoku's in record time and find abnormalities in books." She gave me a wry smile at that last comment. "But I also don't want to overstay my welcome here either, Jack. Just say the word and I will start looking elsewhere to live."

"No way. I honestly enjoy having you here Ellie. It's nice not to come home to an empty apartment." She looked as though she was going to interject but I continued. "Okay, so I get home first most days and the apartment is empty, but it's not really Ellie. Look around." Her eyes scanned over the living room and I pointed out the items I was talking about when I was explaining myself. "There is your sweater you wore yesterday when you were cold. There is your favourite picture of us all at the wedding. There is your phone charger. This apartment is far from empty now that you reside here and I'm profoundly grateful for the company. I would more than likely either be out pickling my liver or playing games on my phone. Yet, I get to come home, ask you about your day and spend time with my best friend. What more could a girl ask for?"

Ellie

I am eternally grateful for Jack. Not only has she shown me unwavering support, but she has also gave me a roof over my head, food in my stomach, a place to call home. I have tried endlessly to give her money for food shopping, but she always seems one step ahead of me and I gave up offering in the end. I knew that I had to be completely honest with her with everything that I went through with Grant. I'm not quite sure why, but I had the overwhelming need to share it all with her.

I had already handed all the evidence that I had collected over to my lawyer and despite being instructed not to share it with anyone else, I had to have at least someone that is clearly standing by me, knowing my full truth, my full torment. I had snuggled up to Jack after her speech and felt somewhat relieved that she isn't pushing me away and being majorly supportive. To have a best friend that is so supportive, a family that I have come to call my own supportive, means the world to me. Carson and Damien are due back in a week and I'm not wanting my personal circumstances weigh them down. "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we keep what I showed you between us? I mean, the lawyer knows of course, but with Carson and Damien due back soon, I don't want them overwhelmed and I don't want their...I'm not sure if pity is the word I want to use, but you know." I could feel Jack move and she settled back down. Her fingertips grazing my bicep, running backwards and forwards, comforting me no end.

"Of course. I get it. But it will come out in court, you do know that don't you?

"I do. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it."