Popstar- Vikklan [The Pack Ships]

●☆Chapter 29☆●

Lachlan trembled, he was crying into my shoulder, mostly in relief because Dylan was never going to be able to hurt us again. I was crying in relief too, tears dripping down my cheeks but I didn't care that everyone in the court room could see us because it had given us so much reprieve.

There was no longer a huge load on my shoulders because I knew he was gone, for over a decade minimum, and that meant he was gone. No matter what empty threats he yelled at us he couldn't get us and that was what reassured me when Simon replaced Dylan in the seat.

He was tense, wide-eyed and obviously pretty scared, but the thing that intrigued me was that he refused to look me into the eyes, even when I was looking at him. He looked like a completely different person to when I had seen him last, thin and drawn, full of anxiety as well.

Lachlan was much more calm with Dylan out of the room and was able to comfort me now, the tears having stopped falling. He let me rest my head on his shoulder and I closed my eyes for a couple of seconds, waiting for the clamour to die down. A lot of the audience was talking after Dylan's sentencing but I didn't listen to any of it, knowing it was all rubbish, they didn't know the full story of course.

"Simon Minter, you pled guilty to lesser charges on the account that you would testify against the previous defendant. You pleaded guilty to attempted rape and for that charge you will serve 18 months in county jail with a change of parole after 8 months."

I saw the flicker of conflicting emotions across his face, relief but panic and something inside me felt bad because he had saved both of us and refused to take me. Sure, he had attempted to rape me but now that I had seen what could be done he didn't seem that bad. I slapped myself internally, it was all bad! Stop letting him off!!

"You are dismissed." She waved her hand and Simon went to stand up but then turned back, asking something that I barely caught.

"Can I say something?" He asked and the judge nodded. He turned to Lachlan and I. "I just want to say that I'm so sorry for what I did, I know how much it would have affected you and I'm just... I'm sorry that I was such an idiot. I hope you can forgive me one day, but I don't blame you if you can't."

My heart leapt because he really did sound sincere and he gave me one last sad smile before he was lead from the room and that was it. That was the last time I saw him and as the two of us were driven home in the taxi, something in me changed.

I knew I was safe now, Lachlan and I were safe and neither Simon or Dylan could ever hurt us and now it was only the memories left to haunt my mind. Physically I was safe, but mentally I was not. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the window, Lachlan's hand in mine.

I was safe but still haunted, and I knew that but the one thing that got me through the day. I was safe.

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Back at home Lachlan and I simply collapsed onto the couch, too exhausted and scared to even move. Lachlan's hand snaked around my waist and he just clung to me, limbs intertwined and bodies so close that I could feel his breath on my neck and his heartbeat in time with mine.

"Are you alright Vikk?" Lachlan asked, finally looking up. "He only got a year and a half, are you okay with that?" After a couple of seconds I nodded, because I was.

"Yeah. I could tell that he really was sorry, he really did regret it and he saved us... so I know that he'll be changed once he gets out. He won't try it again." Lachlan nodded, but of course he hadn't know Simon before what had happened so he didn't know how much the boy had changed. He was a completely different person now.

"Do you... you want to talk about him?" He asked, his voice going high at the end of his sentence. I could tell he was picturing the look that Dylan gave us when he was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years, although his sentence was actually 24 years.

"If you want to. Do you want to say something?" I appreciated that he asked if I wanted to talk about him because on most other days I wouldn't be up to it, but now, after knowing exactly what his fate was, I was alright with it. He nodded, pausing for a second to think.

"I- I think I'm alright with his total sentence, 24 years... but I don't know if 12 years is enough. Especially considering what he did and how long it's gonna last... 12 years is just... nothing." He sounded so desperate and on the verge of tears as well, because he spoke the truth.

12 years honestly wasn't enough for what he had done to the both of us, he destroyed the both of us both physically, emotionally and mentally and although no one could see the scars they were covering my entire body, including my mind and heart.

I had no doubt that Lachlan felt the same, he was covered in scars as well, and both of us felt the pain that they gave us. The scars reminded me of Dylan and of Simon, who had destroyed me so much and although I hated them for it, Dylan more so than Simon, I knew that one day they would maybe get smaller, possibly even heal.

"I don't know if it was enough either but... it's 12 years. We won't have to think about him for 12 years, hopefully even longer." I sighed, closing my eyes for a few seconds. "Just... I don't really want to think about it right now."

Lachlan smiled, helping me lie down again. I had been a little worked up and had been trying to sit up and so I finally lay back down next to him, letting him pull me into his chest.

"Fair enough." He mumbled, relaxing a little.

And with that, both of us drifted off, comforted and peaceful for once.