John hadn't plead guilty. He hadn't said a word to anyone, which lead to Gina being able to question Ashley.
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"Ms. Nicholus, can you please tell us when you met John McAllen?" Gina, Ashley and Gabriel's lawyer, smiled at her as she spoke. looking at Ashley who was shaking in the chair she sat in.
Sitting in front of everyone, all eyes on her as they waited. Sitting in that famous chair where people were questioned by lawyers and judged. She sat up in the booth-like chair where Gina had started to ask Ashley questions.
"Sometime in my second year of college. Around 2015." Quietly, Ashley spoke afraid to answer questions again. Her voice slowly got louder as she spoke through the first anwer she gave although she had become more tense. They were the same questions over and over again over the past months but it still had effects on her. They still were scary to answer.
Even more so when everyone is watching you start to break down again. When your abuser is sitting ten feet away from you, watching with sad yet deathly eyes. When your friends are a mere stand away from you and your lover is sitting there, watching you biome the most vulnerable you could be.
"So you've known this man for roughly six years now?"
"Yes."
Pacing, Gina looked at Ashley who fiddled with her hands still "When did his abusive behavior start? Towards you or anyone you know?"
"A year or two after he graduated from Medical school. H-He...he started drinking then. It wasn't horrible at first, I would have to get him from bars and his friends houses when he was almost blackout drunk. He started drinking because of events at the hospital he worked at."
"What did this drinking cause John McAllen to do? To say?"
"A lot. Most of it was just him saying horrible things, at first it would be about his friends or co-workers at the hospital he worked at. It was a lot of me listening to him say horrible things. T-Then it started coming at me, attacking me. His words I mean. He would...just tell me how worthless I was to everyone, how no one wanted me and that's why I was with him. That I was a waste of life a lot of the time. He would attack my appearance heavily, then my emotions and personality. A lot of it came out when he was drunk, he w-would tell me these things and then blackout. I never thought much about it because he was drunk. But...he was always drunk or drinking."
"These things that he said to you, can you go into more detail. About what he said about others too. As much as you can."
"Um...towards other people. He would just say how much he hated them and wished they'd drop dead. How much everyone was stepping up in life and he was a hard worker but never got anything. J-John would tell me...tell me how he planned to get rid of them. How he would get them fired or make them disappear."
"Did he ever get anyone fired or make them go away?"
"Objection! how is this relevant to this case between this couple?" Johns lawyer had cut in, standing up and staring at Gina grossly.
"It's not only about this girl's safety, your honor, but others that John surrounded himself with as well."
Nodding, "Continue." The judge sitting there let Gna continue her questions and gave a small nod to Ashley who looked at her with a solemn face.
"Ms. Nicholus, did he ever make anything ill intended happen to anyone else?"
"Not that I am aware of. I think...I think he would tell me that in one of his drunken states if he did. He was very blunt and open when he would get drunk, I don't think he would be able to keep a secret like that from me."
"And what did he say to you? Did he ever tell you that he wished ill on you?"
"There were a few times where he would threaten to...to kill me. He would threaten me and my friends. He...he would tell me that he would take me away from everyone. I always took that as kidnapping, that he really would take me away from my life here and force me with him."
Nodding Gina kept pacing, "Ms. Nicholus, can you tell me when the physical abuse started with you and John?"
Ashley sighed and closed her eyes, "Around three years ago."
"What did John do to you physically?"
"It started with a slap when I was taking him home one day. He was drunk again and upset at me for coming to get him. I walked in on him cheating on me, and I took him home. He slapped me that night and forced me to sleep in the bathroom, because his friends had come over again afterwards and took over the living room and our room. That was the first time he touched me abusively. It kept up with just the slaps, not continuously though. Once and a while he would do it if I upset him. Again, he would only do it in a drunken state, then not remember in the morning. If he had remembered what he did he would baby me for days and take care of me, not letting me leave the house and doing everything for me."
She continued, "Over the year after that it got worse. He...he would start to get more aggressive and hold me down by my arms and yell. It caused a lot of bruising and welts. He would do this at least one a week. It got to the point where he would slap me or a part of me causing cuts or bruises on me. Everything always left a mark of some kind. My friend, Danny, would take me in when he could, for days i would pretty much hide from John but it just happened all over again and it was like a cycle. It...It got to the point where John would..."
Do they need to know this? They don't need every personal detail. I dont wanna talk about it.
"Ms. Nicholus? What did John do?"
"He would s-sexually...he would touch me inappropretly, never with my consent. He would overpower me and use me sexually. He left horrible marks everywhere, I wouldn't be able to walk around for a day or two and he would force me to stay home. He would take away my phone afterwards and lock the apartment doors so I wouldn't be able to leave. When he would give back my phone I would call Danny and he would take me for a day or two, to stay at his home for a bit again."
"Thank you for sharing this with us. Your honor, i would like to share some these pictures that Ms. Nicholus had submitted to the police department roughly a month ago when we had gotten a court date settled. These images show the markings and bruises John McAllen had left on her."
"Continue."
Gina had gotten a remote and a projector from somewhere in the room displayed a white screen and then a picture.
The picture itself was Ashley in a mirror, her right eye bruising alone with her cheek and a cut on her nose. It wasn't the worst thing Ashley had seen on her body, but she grimaced at the image. Looking down for a moment as Gian spoke.
"This is the earliest image tht Ashley had submitted, the date reading back to July 12, 2019. The bruising on her face was evident that only a person could cause that harm." Gina spoke before she continued with the next picture.
Picture after picture, Ashley's eyes teared up just by looking at them. They were hideous photos of her. They all showed her physical damage and pain.
Pictures of her arms, legs, ribs, face, neck and chest. Bruises, small cuts, bite marks, finger and hand prints. They littered all over the photos Ashley had to take to keep her sane, to make her feel a bit Safer in her world.
They were ugly, hideous, and disgusting. She wanted to vomit just by looking at them. Her eyes flicker to those watching Gian speak; all of their eyes focused on the pictures now. All of her friends and family, the people she trusted were seeing a lot of images, and were feeling a lot of emotions. All of them, severely upset that this is what could happen to Ashley.
The next image to come up, was something Ashley had to immediately look away from. Her throat tightened and tears left her eyes now. It was a vulnerable image of her, it was ville. She hated it.
A image of sexual abuse is never pretty or snything remotly close to it. That image on the screen made everyone break. Looking at Ashley with bloodshot hickeys, bite marks that were clogged with blood still, the large bruises everywhere. Up close on some of the marks. She was still somewhat clothed in the photo but it clearly showed the worst of what had been happening to her.
She remembers that day and how she forced herself to take that photo. It was the only proof of what had happened.
Ashley covered her mouth as she cried, looking down away from everyone as she sat there. That was only the first. The first of five that she had photos of, that she and Danny could find. But not even her dearest best friend had seen these.
No one had.
She could feel Danny's emotions, she heard him gasp lightly from where he sat behind the gate that truly separated them in the room. She hated that he had to see these, that everyone had to see them.
But what truly got her, was when she looked up and saw John staring at the images, his face is a saddened shock. Tears were rolling down his pale face, his body in a state that he didn't know how to move.
Ashley could see him cry, she saw him gulp as he stared at the images.
He didn't know. He didn't remember this.
Ashley felt a wave of fear run over her, her stomach clenching and her body going into a sweat. She prayed this would be over soon.
"These images are factual to this case. Ms. Nicholus was only seeing John at the time they were dating and he was the only one with her most nights. These bruises and marks cannot just happen on their own no matter a person's health. That is all I have for with Ms. Nicholus."
"Thank you, Ms. Nicholus, you may take a seat again. Court will have a thirty minute recess and the court will come back then to proceed in questioning of Daniel Jackson."
Ashley was the first to fly out of the room, running out of the booth and past every as she made her way to the bathroom. Opening the door and throwing herself in a large stall Ashley hauled her entire being into the toilet. Anything in her system was thrown up into the bowl.
As she threw up from anxiety and fear, Ashley felt a hand pull her hair out of her face and rub her back as she heaved, clutching onto the glass for dear life. Throwing up her emotions, Ashley cried as her throat burned.
When she was done, she stayed still. She wasn't able to move herself, her mind was clouded as tears poured out. She sobbed, crying to whoever was in the stall with her. Gasping for air as everything spun.
"It's okay." Pulling the crying woman into her body, Summer ran a hand through her hair as she sobbed. Never Minding her wrecked state right now. "It's okay." Ashley held onto Summer for dear life, crying into her as the girl who once hated her was now comforting her to the highest level she could.
The stall door opened again, another body was brought into it, sinking down to the floor and hugging Ashley from behind. "Ash." Danny was there now, who had finished fighting the female officer outside the bathroom telling him that he couldn't go into the room.
Instantly Ashley left from Summers hold to Danny's warm one. Clutching onto her best friend. Both of them were crying on the bathroom floor as more people came into the room as well. Gabriel and Billy stayed outside, Billy not letting anyone else inside the women's bathroom and Gabriel speaking to the officer about what was going on.
Diana and Tommy were in the bathroom by the sinks, waiting for Ashley to come so they could help in any way she needed. Both older ladies were there for not only Ashley, but also Gabriel who was a son to them. Ashley was important to Gabriel, and they both deeply cared about them. Though Ashley told them that they didn't need to come if it was too much of a trip or would cause problems; they came down to see this through.
"Ash. It's okay. T-the photos are done. You don't have to see them again. It's okay. It's okay." Constant words of reassurance were given by danny and summer. Both kept Ashley company as she slowly stopped crying and instead just laid numb in Danny's arms on the floor.
Her cries turned into sniffs and occasional hiccups for a short while. For ten minutes they all sat on the floor, waiting for Ashley to be able to calm down before they could talk to her about everything. To see what they could do to make this a tad bit better for her, though both Summer and Danny thought it would be impossible to make this any lighter.
"Come on," Pulling her up gently by the arms, Danny held her like a delicate flower as he opened the stall door and walked her to the sink where the older ladies were waiting with wet wipes and mints for Ashley to chew. "Here. Just...relax. We got you." Picking her up and setting her down on the counters Danny rubbed her arms as she nodded and sniffed.
Quickly Danny took a wipe from Tommy who dug in her bag for more things for Ashley to focus on. As Danny wiped her mouth and clothes off anything, Summer took a brush from Tommy and had started to brush Ashley's hair out again. Taming it down before she started a braid to keep it out of her face.
"What can we do?"
"Um..." Danny looked at Summer quickly and she only shrugged at him.
"Tell them not to worry. I'm okay." Looking at the door, Ashley spoke at the most quiet voice they have ever heard her talk in. Diana nodded and headed to the door while Tommy continued to dig in her purse until she had pulled out two packs of gum, pints, paper for her to play with, hair ties, and more wipes along with a new chapstick and mascara for her if she had wanted it.
After leaving all the goods, Tommy smiled and left the bathroom alongside her wife. Ashley just let Danny and Summer take care of her as she slowly came back to the reality of everything around her.
"I'm sorry."
"Ash-"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm so sorry Danny. I should have told you, I should have let you turn them in, I...I'm sorry I let it get this far...I dont know whats...whats wrong with me? I'm sorry you had to see those...you didn't know how bad...I-I...oh my god..." What started out as an apology led to extreme hyperventilation and Ashley griping Danny's arm as she tried to breathe.
"Ash breathe-"
"I'm getting someone." Summer ran out of the bathroom in a hurry as Ashley started to sob.
"I- I can't...I can't breathe...Danny..." Hyperventilating and sobbing again, Ashley gasped as her mind raced at a thousand thoughts per mile.
"Ash, hey. It's okay, Ashley please focus on me, it's okay- " Forcing her to look up at him, Danny held her face as she sobbed, holding onto his arms tightly as she cried. Her grip was tight enough to start hurting Danny, causing his skin to ache as he spoke gently to her.
Ashley couldn't focus on Danny, the pictures of her swarmed her brain as she thought about every bruise and mark left on her skin. She didn't tell Danny about half of them. She felt horrible about Danny having to see them now.
"I...I'm so sorry." Gasping in between words Ashley leaned on Danny as her hands made his forearms red.
"Ash-"
"Ashley." Running into the bathroom, Gabriel was next to Danny looking over her as she sobbed, running a hand over her head as he looked at danny.
"She was fine a moment ago, then she started to apologize and break down. I can't get her to breathe."
"Ashley. Hey, let go of Danny." Gabriel could see Ashley unconsciously hurting Danny, who was squirming. His hands roughly took hers in order to control the situation a little bit, taking her hands tightly to try to pull her head out of it a little bit.
Gabriel was quickly to pull Ashley into his chest, and holding her tightly so he could add pressure to her body.
"I...I can't...I;m sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"I....I can't...Danny."
"No, look at me. Talk to me." Gabriel motioned for Danny to leave, which he did hesitantly while rubbing his arm. Looking at Ashley sadly but knowing he couldn't help anymore than he already had.
"Please...I can't-"
"You can. Just breathe. Look at me." Giving her commands at this point, Gabriel waited until Ashley brought her eyes back up to his, looking in his dark ones with tears streaming out of them. Taking her hand and pressing it to his chest Gabriel took a deep breath and had Ashley feel it. "Try and match my breathing. Then talk to me."
Taking more deep breaths, Ashley slowly watched him and got a control of her breathing, very slowly. Her hand stayed on his shirt as she cried and took deep breaths. Her brain and body felt numb as she slowly stopped crying.
Slowly Gabriel moved one of his hands to her cheek where he wiped a tear, and the other went to her hand that was resting on his chest. She looked up to him again before closing her eyes and shaking in his touch.
"Talk to me Baby."
"Danny...he didn't know. He didn't see all those photos. He had to see the photos of me, I...I feel horrible."
"You don't need to feel bad about not telling, Ashley. Those photos were not meant for everyone to see. You shouldn't ever have to share those with him if you didn't want to. I'm sorry that everyone had to see those. I am so sorry Ashley. But you shouldn't have to apologize to him."
"But-"
"There are no 'buts' Ashley. you do not have to apologize. There is nothing for you to say sorry for. There is nothing against you."
Opening her eyes, Ashley looked up at Gabriel tearfully. She wanted to argue that he was wrong and she had a lot to say, but instead was quiet as he watched her carefully. There was a knock on the door and someone told them that everything was going to start up again soon.
"We should go."
"No." Gabriel moved his hands to Ashley hips to keep her there as she squirmed to get off the counter. Worriedly she looked up to him and hold his hands. "We aren't going until you are okay to go out there again. Really okay. They will understand if we are a bit late."
"But the-"
"Ahsley. It's okay. We aren't going out until you are stable enough to not burst into tears. Trust me." And that's what she did. They both sat there for a few minutes before Ashley nodded to herself as a reasuracne.
"I'm okay. It's okay. We are good. I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Gabriel, I'm okay. I promise. T-Thank you for being here for me and for calming me down. I...I don't have an excuse, it was valid for me to freak out."
"It was, and I am glad you see that."
"Thank you." Sliding off the counter, Ashley hugged gabriel loosely until he hugged her back with a force that reassure her. Slowly she kissed his cheek and unwrapped her arms from his waist. "Let's go back." When the two left the bathrooms and were met with all their friends waiting for her Ashley; said girl was stopped by Summer.
"You are not going out there looking like that." Summer promptly brought her back to the bathroom as Everyone stared awkwardly at Gabriel.
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This was a hard chapter to write for a lot of reasons- trying to get emotions in and really show them and trying to write a literal court case was difficult and I know I probably didn't do justice to it.
I tried my best; I looked topics up online and wrote what I understood. If I did/wrote anything wrong in the chapter please let me know because this book is about real life situations and I want to make sure I get everything right.
This is a very important chapter and if anything came out weird or anything with questioning or the court came out wrong please please please dm me so I can mix my mistakes!
Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
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