Light Me Up

31

I was relieved Peyton decided to go to the police. Hale needed to pay and the best way to do that was to be held accountable for the shit he had put her through. After we had helped Peyton get her apartment back in order, Morgan and I both went to the police station with her. 

We were met by the police officer, who had been in charge of the search of Peyton's apartment. He took us to a room, where we could speak privately. He introduced himself as Officer Olsson, officer in the narcotics team. 

"So Miss Brooks, do you have any new information for me?" He asked and smiled at Peyton. She nodded and put a stack of handwritten notes, prints from her emails and her phone in front of him. 

"My ex-boyfriend, Ethan Hale, has been sending me these for a while. We didn't end things on the best of terms and he's very angry with me," her voice sounded small and insecure. I took her hand and held it in mine, while Morgan patted her back and assured her that it was okay to tell the officer everything. 

Officer Olsson laid out the letters and prints in front of him and scrolled through the messages. His brow furrowed as he read through the many, many lines of insults and accusations. "Miss Brooks, this is serious business. I'm glad you decided to come in today. I think we need to have Mr. Hale in for a chat. Do you think he would make a fake claim against you?" 

Peyton nodded and swallowed hard. "Yes. My childhood was pretty complicated. My mother had boyfriends, who dealt drugs and we had razzias at our trailer once in a while. I only ever told Ethan about that and how difficult it was for me growing up. He would know that you coming to search my apartment would make me anxious." 

I felt proud of Peyton for talking so openly about her past. I caught Morgan looking shocked at Peyton's revelation. Morgan definitely knew that things hadn't been easy for Peyton growing up, but just like me, I was sure she didn't know the half of what Peyton had gone through as a child. I gently rubbed the back of her hand with my thumb and listened to Olsson run through what they would do now. 

"I have to ask you, Miss Brooks, are you afraid to be in your home because of Mr. Hale?" Officer Olsson asked. 

Peyton shrugged and fidgeted a bit in her chair. "I haven't really thought about that," she said. 

"Do you have anywhere else you can stay until we have had a talk with Mr. Hale?" Olsson looked from me to Morgan and we both nodded. 

"She can stay with me," we said in unison and Peyton chuckled softly under her breath. 

"I will stay in contact with you, okay?" Officer Olsson said as he saw us out to the exit of the precinct. 

"Thank you," Peyton said sweetly and smiled at him as she shook his hand. She took my hand afterwards and laced her fingers with mine and I felt something, like a tickling sensation in my chest. 

***