Second Chance

To my great relief, he was wrong.

It took a month - an almost unbareable four weeks of being in "temporary foster care" without a scrap of information about what was going on with the guys - but I did indeed get to see them again. Granted, it was in front of a judge and a small audience of jurors, but it was better than nothing.

I wasn't allowed to speak with them, but it was definitely better than nothing.

I was led to the front of the room, familiar to me only because it looked like the typical courtroom that I used to see all the time on television shows. I sat where I was instructed to and looked out at the room; my eyes were instantly back on the guys, who smiled reassuringly. I felt a sense of calm wash over me.

That feeling died the second that I realised my father was in the room.

He sat on the opposite side to the guys, so I didn't immediately see him. I knew that he probably would have gone on completely unnoticed by me if he hadn't snorted in disgust and dragged my attention across to him. His eyes were directed at the band when I looked over in his direction, but they quickly turned to me and held. What I saw was a stranger looking back at me, one whose expression told stories of compassion and worry.

I froze upon seeing him; instinct told me to run, but that wasn't an option at the current time. I took to dragging my gaze away instead, and intently looking down at my hands. I didn't want to look up and chance seeing him again. Not with the lies written all over his face.

"I only have a few questions for you, Ms. Williams." The judge made it sound as if we'd been having a conversation, and we were picking up where we had left off. Clearly I'd been missing a lot. "I hope you have no objections to this?"

"Ah...no, no objections..."

"Good, very good. Ms. Williams, how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Do you suffer from any mental or behavioural issues?"

"Ah...no."

The questions went on like that, until I was asked again to tell of the night that I had met Zacky. I still had no idea why I had been brought in front of the judge, and was reluctant to say anything that might shed a bad light over Zacky. But a reassuring nod from him told me that it was okay, that I could tell them all that had happened that night in the Sydney alley.

And so I did, making sure I left nothing out - from the way Zacky had done only what he had to do to protect me from my father, to the way that he had taken me to the hospital and then refused to leave me alone on the streets, even if it meant irritating his friends and his security personelle.

When asked how I had come to leave Australia, I explained carefully about how Zacky, Matt and Johnny had taken me home and helped me find my passport, whether it be by physically helping me search or by keeping my father out of the way while I did so. I couldn't truthfully say what had happened to my father that night - if anything at all - but nobody seemed bothered by this.

"So they in no way forced you to go along with them?"

I gave it a moment of thought. It was true, I hadn't entirely wanted to leave the country, but they hadn't exactly forced me to go along with them. They'd asked me if I was okay with things every step of the way. If I'd so much as hinted at the fact that I desperately wanted to go home, I had no doubt that they would have let me go. Would have dropped me off themselves, and done everything in their power to make sure that I would be alright before they left.

"No," I said confidently. "They didn't force me. They've never done anything like that. They're good guys."

"What can you tell me about your father? What's your relationship like with him?"

Despite myself, I glanced over at the man being referred to. With all eyes firmly on me, he didn't have to worry about anybody besides myself seeing his narrowed eyes and dangerous look. To me, it was a promise of punishment if I spoke against him.

I had one chance. I could keep my mouth shut about him, which would probably keep myself safe (as safe as I could be after practically running across the globe to escape him), or I could speak out about the things he'd done over the years, enraging him but giving myself a better chance of escaping him for good, assuming that I was believed.

It was a tough call to make, but I chose the latter.

"I hate him. He used to be great, but after my mum died he started drinking a whole lot and then he just got violent. I wouldn't say we have much of a relationship at all - I'm just his punching bag. I don't know why he won't just leave me alone, given that he's probably going to end up killing me, anyway. What's the difference?"

"She's lying," my father spoke up unexpectedly, actually making me jump. It had been so long since I'd heard his voice. I hoped this would be the last time. "They've brainwashed her!"

"Mr. Williams, please be silent."

"I'm not lying." I could almost hear the pleading in my own tone. "Your Honour, please - you can send me home if you like, but don't make me go back with him. And the guys, they haven't done anything wrong. They don't deserve to be taken off their tour for all this."

"Ms. Williams, do you know why you're here?"

The question took me by surprise.

"No, sir. Nobody's told me anything."

"Misters Sanders, Baker, Haner, Seward and Sullivan have been cleared of the charges against them." I almost smiled at this, but the fact that they were still in court made me wonder more at what the hell was going on. "They're here now because they, and I quote, worry for your well-being."

"Liars, the lot of them!" my father yelled. "Just give me my daughter and let us go home!"

"We've been presented with your medical records over the past week, and I think I can safely assume that what you're saying is the truth," the judge went on, speaking only to me and chosing to ignore my father.

"So...what does that mean?"

"Mr. Baker here has expressed that it is his wish to take full custody of you. And if you have no objections, I'd like to grant it."

I turned my attention to Zacky then; he looked as smug as I had ever seen him.

"Really?"

He nodded, and I had to do everything in my power to hold back a squeal of joy as I turned back to the judge.

"I don't have any objections. Can we go now?"

My father, on the other hand, was objecting. He was on his feet in a split second and coming toward me, but before I had a chance to even move a muscle he was being restrained and dragged out of the room. It was quite the sight for me to see, after having been tormented him for so long.

Justice, at last.

Having had my eyes locked on the yelling man, I didn't realise that Zacky was beside me until he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. If it was against court procedure, nobody was saying anything, and I was grateful for that. I returned the hug eagerly, taking my time to really take in everything about him. Never again was I going to take a moment like this for granted.

"Welcome to the family, kid."

And just like that, I felt at home again.