Warning: This chapter deals with sensitive topics such as: Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
Jack got dressed excitedly, happy to finally be leaving the hospital. After a month of being there, lying in his bed with agonizing pain, he was finally going to live with Mark.
He felt incredibly guilty for shoving his way into Ethan and Tyler's life, but they constantly reassured him that they were happy for him to stay. Mark was waiting outside of Jack's room, waiting for him to get ready.
The door opened and Jack hobbled out of the room. It still slightly hurt to walk, but Mark was going to make sure Jack got plenty of rest.
"You ready to go?" Mark asked, and Jack nodded quickly. Jack took Mark's hand and followed him to the front. Jack checked out of the hospital, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Jack stepped outside. They both got into Mark's car and drove to Jack's old apartment.
Jack climbed up the stairs, but halted at the door. He pulled the keys out of his pocket, and hesitantly stuck them in the lock. The door clicked, and Jack turned the cold handle and stepped inside.
The apartment had been cleaned out, almost everything taken by police for evidence. Jack stood there, unmoving, as he looked around. He took a deep breath before looking to his left, and he saw the blood stained carpet and wall. His stomach lurched, and he quickly looked away. He walked across the room to the bedroom door and pushed it open.
Jack flicked on the light. The bedroom had been left as it was before the incident, except Felix's clothes were gone. Jack grabbed a suitcase from the tiny closet, and set it on the bed. He opened it up, then turned to start pulling his clothes out of the drawers. He packed as much as he could, then zipped it closed.
"You said you had extra boxes, right?" Jack called to Mark, but he turned and found Mark standing right beside him, gazing around the room.
"Yeah, they're in my car." Mark told Jack. He stepped further into the room, looking at the scattered sheets and Felix's keepsakes that he hadn't bothered to retrieve. "It smells awful in here." Mark commented as he picked up a blanket. The room smelled like a mix of drugs, alcohol, and sweat. The blanket was covered in burn marks and disgusting stains. Mark immediately dropped the blanket.
"Uh-huh." Jack replied dismissively, looking down at his feet. "Could you go get the boxes?"
"Oh, yeah." Mark left the room and walked out of the apartment. Jack wandered around, looking for anything that was his, but he found nothing. Either he had long forgotten what was his in the apartment, or Felix had thrown everything out. "Here." Mark handed Jack a box.
Jack nodded in reply, and began to pack up the rest of his clothes. When he was done, he carried the box and dragged the suitcase out of the room, but Mark quickly took the box from him.
"All you're gonna take is your clothes?" Mark peeked inside the box.
"All I really own is clothes." Jack shrugged. "I didn't realize how much was taken from me until just now." Jack stopped and looked around the apartment one last time. He then turned back around and stomped down the stairs, the suitcase thudding behind him. Mark followed behind him down to his car. Mark popped open his trunk, and Jack put his things inside. Mark put the box right next to the suitcase and shut the trunk.
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Jack fixed his tie anxiously, his heart practically beating out of his chest.
"Hey, you alright?" Mark came up to Jack.
"No..." Jack sighed.
"Everything is going to be okay. Trust me." Mark hugged Jack, resting his head on his shoulder. Jack just stared blankly into the mirror in front of him.
He took a deep breath. "Let's just get going."
Mark took Jack's hand and led him to the car. The drive was long, silent, and agonizing as the time drew closer and closer.
-----
Jack sat in the courtroom next to his lawyer. The jury box was filled with people that didn't seem to care about what was going on, and they all obviously felt like they could be doing something better with their time.
Police stood at the front of the courtroom, talking as they waited for the case to start.
The judge walked in, and everyone stood up, then sat down, and the case began.
The doors at the back of the room opened, and a very nicely dressed lawyer walked in, followed by Felix and two police officers. The lawyer nodded curtly at the judge, then sat down at the table across the room from the jury box.
The case began with opening statements, which were way too long for Jack to be able to focus. He just avoided Felix's gaze, anxiously awaiting for witnesses to be called.
"Prosecution, you may call your first witness." The judge turned to Jack's lawyer, who Jack didn't even notice sat back down next to him.
"Thank you, your honor." Jack's lawyer stood up. "Prosecution calls Molly Smith to the stand."
The doors opened, and Molly walked up to the witness stand. She obviously couldn't care less about being there.
"Please state your name and age for the record." Jack's lawyer approached the witness.
"Molly Smith. Nineteen years old." She stated blandly.
After long and arduous questioning and Molly ratting Felix out about smoking marijuana illegally and drinking underage, one question caught Jack's attention.
"Did you know how Felix was treating Jack?" The lawyer asked.
"Yeah. Felix beat him up every time he-"
"Objection, hearsay!" Felix's lawyer shot out of her seat.
"Sustained." The judge nodded at Felix's lawyer. He then turned back to Jack's lawyer, allowing her to continue.
"Did Jack ever look beat up?" Jack's lawyer asked Molly.
"Yeah. He had black eyes and stuff. He also had a lot of bruises." Molly shrugged.
"When did you begin noticing this?" Jack's lawyer asked.
"A couple months after Felix's friend broke up with Jack." Molly answered.
"Thank you. No further questions, your honor." Jack's lawyer turned to the judge.
"Has the defense prepared a cross examination?" The judge asked Felix's lawyer as Jack's lawyer returned to her seat.
"Yes, your honor." Felix's lawyer stood up.
After repeating the same standard information over again, Felix's lawyer asked, "Do you have any proof that Felix abused Jack?"
"Well, when he was drunk he said he was proud of it. The day after he raped Jack, he said it was the best sex he'd ever had." Molly admitted. Everyone in the room gasped, and Jack's jaw dropped. Felix's lawyer couldn't object while she was questioning a witness, and Jack's lawyer certainly wasn't going to object to something that could help their case. Felix's lawyer was shot down in what she obviously thought was her best question to close her examination.
"No further questions, your honor." She said as she walked back to her seat.
"You may step down." The judge nodded to Molly. Molly hopped out of the seat and left the room. "Prosecution, you may call your next witness."
"The prosecution calls Mark Fischbach to the stand." Jack's lawyer stood up. Mark walked into the courtroom and sat at the witness stand, casting a comforting glance at Jack. "Please state your name and age for the record."
"My name is Mark Fischbach. I am nineteen years old." Mark answered calmly.
"Mister Fischbach, what is your relationship with Mister McLoughlin?" Jack's lawyer asked.
"I am his boyfriend." Mark answered.
"And what do you know about Mister Kjellberg?" Jack's lawyer gestured to Felix.
"He and Jack used to share an apartment together, and were supposedly good friends for a long time. But Jack often had a lot of injuries after he did something to make Felix upset, like if he-"
"Objection, Narrative Answer!" Felix's lawyer called.
"Sustained." The judge turned to Mark, who stayed calm and collected.
"Could you please briefly explain what you know about Felix?" Jack's lawyer rephrased the question.
"He and Jack used to share an apartment together." Mark seemed slightly frustrated that he couldn't explain everything he knew.
"Did Jack ever have any visible injuries?" Jack lawyer asked.
"Yes. He would sometimes have red hand prints, black eyes, bruises, or cigarette burns on his face and arms." Mark answered.
"Did you inflict these injuries?" Jack's lawyer asked.
"No, of course not." Mark raised his eyebrows.
"Did you ever see anyone else cause harm to Jack?"
"I've seen Felix pull his hair or be rough with him."
"Did Jack ever go missing for a short period of time?"
"Yeah. He didn't show up to school and didn't respond to texts or phone calls."
"Did you ever find out what happened?"
"I went to his apartment, and I heard thudding from inside. I thought that someone was in trouble, so I broke down the door and saw bottles of alcohol everywhere and-"
"Objection, Narrative Answer!" Felix's lawyer shouted again, in a somewhat more teasing tone.
"Sustained." The judge nodded.
"Did you ever find Jack?" Jack's lawyer continued.
"Yes." Mark stated shortly, fearful of talking too much again.
"Where was he?"
"In his apartment."
"How did you find him?"
"I heard thudding from inside his apartment, so I kicked down the door."
"What did you see inside?"
"Bottles of alcohol, and Jack leaning against the wall, severely beaten."
"Your honor, permission to admit exhibit B as evidence?" Jack's lawyer turned to the judge.
"Any objections?" The judge asked Felix's lawyer.
"No, your honor." Felix's lawyer begrudgingly answered.
"Exhibit B is hereby entered as evidence." The judge announced.
"Thank you, your honor." Jack's lawyer pulled a photograph out of her folder. "Mister Fischbach, are these the clothes that Jack was wearing when you found him?" She handed him the photo.
"Yes." Mark nodded.
After entering another piece of evidence, Jack's lawyer handed Mark another photograph. "And are these the restraints that we're around Jack's wrists and ankles?"
"Yes." Mark confirmed.
"Mister Fischbach, what did you do after you found Jack?"
"I untied him, and called the police."
"What happened after the police arrived?"
"Felix came home, and hit me with a broken bottle."
Jack's lawyer admitted another piece of evidence, and handed Mark a third photo. "Is this the bottle you were struck by?"
"Yes." Mark nodded.
"Your honor, I have no more questions." Jack's lawyer tucked her folder underneath her arm.
"Is the defense prepared with a cross examination?" The judge asked Felix's lawyer.
"Yes, your honor." Felix's lawyer stood up. "Mister Fischbach, before looking at the photograph of exhibit B, would you have been able to describe to me Jack's outfit?"
Right as Mark opened his mouth to answer, Jack's lawyer stood up. "Objection, Speculation!"
"Sustained."
"Mister Fischbach," Felix's lawyer moved on. "Do you have any personal relationship with Felix?"
"No, I do not." Mark looked down at his lap.
"And have you ever personally discussed the seriousness of your relationship with Jack?"
"No." Mark answered honestly.
"Therefore, you cannot say you are in a serious relationship with Jack, correct?"
"Correct." Mark gave in.
"Did you ever see Felix smoke marijuana?"
"No."
"Did you ever see Felix personally drink?"
"Not really..."
"But you still claim that Felix has been drunk?"
"I've seen Felix drunk, I just-"
"You claim you've seen him drunk, but you have never actually watched him drink?"
"Well, no. But-"
"Have you ever seen Felix harm Jack?"
"I've seen him tug his hair or push him around."
"How do you know that that wasn't just Felix messing around with his friend?"
"It didn't seem norma-"
"Do you have any evidence that Felix has done the things you claim he did?"
"N-No, but-"
"So you are testifying against a man that you haven't seen do anything wrong?"
Jack's lawyer stood again, "Objection, badgering the witness!"
"Sustained."
Felix's lawyer calmed down. "What proof do you have against Felix?"
"Other than Jack's own word... Nothing."
"And what proof does Felix have that you are the one that abused Jack?"
"He doesn't have any proof!"
"Then aren't you and Felix equal? Shouldn't you be a suspect, as well?"
Mark was silent, his mouth slightly hanging open.
"Moving on." Felix's lawyer sneered. "Do you know what happened to Jack during the time he was gone?"
"He was beaten. He had several broken ribs and ended up with a punctured lung."
"Do you not know anything else?"
"No. That's all that happened." Mark looked at Jack, who stared at Felix's lawyer with wide eyes full of fear. "As far as I know..."
"So, you don't know about the sexual abuse that Jack endured?" Felix's lawyer exposed Jack. Jack buried his face into his arms, laying his head on the table as soft sobs left his lips. His lawyer looked at Mark with sympathetic eyes and a small frown.
"No. I did not know that." Mark looked back at Felix's lawyer.
"So, you know almost nothing about this case, except for the fact that you claim to be the 'hero', isn't that correct?"
After a long pause, Mark muttered, "I guess so..."
"No further questions, your honor." Felix's lawyer grinned evilly.
"You may step down." The judge gestured to Mark. Mark silently stepped out of the witness stand and left the room. The entire courtroom was completely silent for a few moments, no one daring to speak until the tall door shut behind Mark. "Prosecution, you may call your next witness."
After various doctors and police spoke about what they saw at the scene and about the medical reports of Jack's injuries, Jack was finally called to the stand.
"Please state your name and age for the record." Jack's lawyer said gently.
"M-My name is Seán McLoughlin, but I go by Jack, a-and I am eighteen years old."
Jack retold his tale about all of the abuse he endured over the years, leading up to the recent event. Jack's cross examination was hell; Felix's lawyer looked for holes in Jack's story to make Felix seemed innocent, and then dug for every little detail about what happened while Jack was missing. Jack tried his best to dodge her questions, but that didn't stop Felix's lawyer from prying into all of the details that Jack just wanted to forget. After she dropped the 'You have no proof' bomb, despite the fact that the doctors had given her plenty of physical proof of his injuries and police found plenty of proof of Felix's connection to the crime, Jack stepped down and the court was dismissed until tomorrow.
Jack walked out of the courtroom, and when he found Mark, he couldn't even look him in the eyes. He immediately started crying, standing in the middle of the hall, shaking and crying as people walking by watched. Mark came up to Jack and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. Jack felt weak; he couldn't bring himself to hug Mark back or do anything but stand there and cry as Mark hugged him.
Mark put his arm around Jack's shoulders and led him outside and to their car. The drive was quiet, and Mark kept the radio off. All that could be heard was the sounds of cars passing by and Jack's muffled gasps and whimpers as he hid his face from Mark.
Jack trudged to the bathroom and locked the door. He sat in the shower, tugged the curtain closed, then buried his face in his knees.
Mark went to his bedroom and sat on the bed, hunched over with his hands folded. He stared blankly and silently at the floor, not saying a word.
After an hour of eery silence throughout the house, Mark heard a knock at his bedroom door. His mind barely registered it, and he didn't show any form of reaction.
"Mark?" Ethan poked his head in the door. Mark didn't acknowledge him. "What happened?" Ethan stepped into the room. Ethan could almost hear his voice echoing through the house, slicing through the thick silence. "Did the trial go alright?"
"In terms of Felix being guilty, yes. But..." Mark licked his chapped lips. "Felix's lawyer was pretty nasty. There was plenty of evidence against her, so she knew she would lose the case. But since she knew she would lose, she just kind of decided to... Get Jack back, I guess." Mark scratched the back of his neck.
"What did she do?" Ethan shut the door behind himself.
Mark took a deep breath and sighed. "There was more that happened to Jack that I didn't know about, and I guess I wasn't supposed to know about it. She just kind of let it... Slip. In front of Jack. In front of everyone." Mark's stomach dropped, remembering the looks on everyone's faces.
"Wow..." Ethan sighed. "What did she say?" He asked before thinking.
"I can't tell you." Mark looked at his hands as he picked at his nails. "It's really personal."
"I understand." Ethan put his hand on the door knob. "I hope everything turns out alright."
"It will." Mark said as Ethan left the room. "Eventually..."
~AN~
My brain when I'm writing for fun: *empty desert* *tumbleweed rolls by*
My brain right now: I HAVE TOO MANY IDEAS LET'S WRITE FOUR BILLION WORD CHAPTERS WOO I need to get other things done YEAH LONG CHAPTERS can't we just break this up into parts- LONG. CHAPTERS.
Well, I'm breaking this up into parts, sooo...
Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading, and if you liked it, PUNCH that vote button in the face, LIKE A BOSS! And I will see all you bosses, IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!