After Tayor got out of the hospital, she immediately moved in with AJ. Only..her cat, Star, and his dog, Tobie, didn't get along too well. But they would manage.
"Hey Taylor?," AJ called through the house one afternoon.
"Yeah?"
"You got mail!"
"Okay..I'm coming..," She said coming down the stairs.
"Here ya go.," He said handing her an envelope.
Taylor tore it open and read it. "Will this ever be over?," She said throwing the envelope on the kitchen counter.
"What is it?"
"I'm being subpeaoned(sp?)..I have to testify against Mark next week.."
"You have to?," AJ said taking the letter from her.
"I guess so..I'll do it if I have to..if it puts him away..I'll do it.."
"I guess you have to. You up for it?"
"I..I think so. Will you come with me? I mean..well you don't have to..but.."
"Of course I'll come Taylor!"
"Okay..I just..didn't want..to umm..make you feel like you have to come or anything."
"Taylor, I'll be there every step of the way..okay? But..you have to come with me to Las Vegas by the end of next week..okay?"
"You're going to Vegas?"
"Yep..we have some shows out there and I figured it'd be good for me and you to take a vacation or sorts."
"Okay..I'll come with you.," She said smiling.
"Good."
It was the day Taylor had to go to court to testify against Mark. She wasn't going to deny it..she was nervous and scared..but AJ and the other guys were coming so that helped.
Her and AJ walked up the steps to the courtroom, followed by a bodyguard, the other guys, Jane, Alicia, Jana, and Marie, then their attorney. Many reporters and paparazzi outside taking pictures and such. Taylor walked in and sat down in one of the aisles, followed by the guys and girls. AJ put his arm around her shoulder comfortingly. "Just relax baby..you'll do fine..," He whispered in her ear.
"I know..," She leaned across him, "And thanks you guys for coming..I know you all have lives but this means alot to me."
"We're all here behind you Taylor.," Kevin said with a smile.
Soon, the trial started. Taylor was called to the stand. After she swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, she took a seat. She was afraid to look at Mark in the face and tried not to. Looking at AJ made her feel alot more comfortable. Her attorney got up first, "Hi Taylor. How are you doing?"
"Just fine.," She said.
"Thats good. Umm..we're going to try to make this as easy and quick as possible..okay?"
She nodded.
"Okay..let's start with this. How did you meet the plaintiff?"
"At work..probably about a year or so ago."
"And, did he act in a odd manner or anything towards you?"
"No, he was very nice. We'd talk periodically but nothing big."
"Uh huh..when did you two start dating?"
"Umm..six months ago."
"From the beginning, was he controlling?"
She shook her head, "Not really. He would sometimes ask where I was going or coming from and who I was with.."
"When did he make you stop working, and seeing your friends?"
"I..don't really remember. It was..maybe three months after we started to live together.."
"Okay..do you remember when he first abused you? Physically, I mean."
She shifted uncomfortably, she could feel Mark's gaze burning into her. But seeing her friends faces out there made it alot easier. "Not really.."
"Was it a slap? A push? Something like that?"
She nodded, "I think so."
"Okay..umm..does he drink?"
"Yes."
"Alot?"
"Yes."
"Would you consider him an excessive drinker?"
"My opinion?," She asked.
"Umm..yes..if the judge will allow it?," The attorney asked looking towards the judge.
She nodded, "I'll allow it."
"Then yes..I think he was an excessive drinker.."
"No further questions. Your witness.," He said to Mark's attorney.
The other attorney stood up and walked to her. "I suppose, you've healed from all your injuries?," He inquired.
"Y..yes.."
"Good..glad to hear it. Now, I'm just going to ask you a couple of easy questions..okay?"
She nodded, "Okay."
"Good..Umm..when my client supposedly abused you, did you do anything to provoke it?"
Taylor looked a little surprised at the question, she blinked a couple of times before answering. "I..I don't think I did."
"What were the arguments you two had about?"
"Where I was going..who I was going to be with..stuff like that. He also accused me many times of cheating on him.."
"Did you ever?"
"No! I'm not some slut."
"I never said you were. When did you find out you were pregnant?"
Taylor felt her eyes well up but blinked them back. "June 12.."
"And you never told my client?"
"How could I when he was either gone or drunk and passed out?"
"Just answer the question. Did you even plan on telling him?"
"Of course! Its not something I can exactly keep to myself!"
"When?"
"When what?!"
"When were you going to tell my client you were having his child?"
"I was going to tell him..I dunno when! I was going to though. But then the beatings got more frequent and he came home drunk more often.."
"So..these 'beatings' you say, occured often?"
"I think I'd know if I was getting beat up. I can't exactly hit myself.," She said sternly.
"I know..when was this last 'beating'?"
"I don't know..umm...July or..no, August 8.."
"Okay..what happened?"
"He demanded to know where I was and I told him. He got mad and started to hit me..then he kicked me..and..and I blacked out..," She said wiping away a few stray tears.
"Then what?"
"I woke up in a hospital to find out I had a miscarraige because of him.."
"You think its his fault?"
"He beat me..what do you think?"
"I think you're lying!"
Taylor was stunned, this guy was trying to get her to lie and it wasn't working. "Why would I lie about something like this?"
"I think you have some disorder that causes you to beat yourself. There is something like that. I think you didn't wantthis baby, that you and him couldn't be good enough parents so you threw yourself down the stairs of the house and had a miscarraige. Boo hoo, everyone blames the man, woman gets off scott-free.," He said angrily.
Down in the seats, AJ was absolutely shocked. So were the others. Kevin leaned towards AJ," This is ridiculous.."
"I know.."
Taylor wiped the tears from her eyes. "You..don't know anything about me. You don't know what its like to wake up in a hospital and not know what was going on and then finding out your baby died because you stayed in an abusive relationship!"
"Why didn't you leave Taylor?"
"I..couldn't. He would of found me. I tried more than once..he always found me. I had no where else to go.."
"So you stayed?"
"Yes."
"I believe this girl found a free place to stay and took advantage of my client. Once pregnant, my client didn't even know. He may have roughhoused with her but never knew she was pregnant. I believe that my client should be let off..he did nothing wrong. I rest my case."
Taylor looked around, this was so not happening. The judge told her to step down. She did in what seemed slow motion. AJ met her halfway and hugged her as she sobbed once more.
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