Incest/Taboo Unbelievable

"Then I guess we need to go see what Johnny has planned, don't we," Brandan said, getting to his feet. He wasn't about to miss this, not if John was willingly asking for them to be there. Holding out his hand to his wife, seeing the elation in her eyes as she rose from her seat. He knew she's been waiting for this moment. He'd be a liar if he said he wasn't as well.

"You just want us to stand on the porch?" Ray asked for clarification as he and Wanda, too, got to their feet.

"Mmmhmm," Johnny nodded, "you come too, okay?" He had hoped that in helping Yasmine deal with the trauma of her Ra*e that Julia would be proud of him like how she had helped him survive in that Hell.

"Wouldn't miss it, Johnny," Yasmine said with a smile on her face.

John noted the confused looks on Annie's and Janus' faces as he walked back over to them. Holding out his hands to them, "Come with me," he spoke in a warm tone, watching how the two of them looked at each other. Wondering what he was up to. "I promise you'll find out soon, okay?"

"Okay, Johnny," Janus uttered, slipping her hand into his.

"I'm with you, always," Annie said in a loving tone as she smiled at him as she took hold of his left hand. Peering at Janus, who wore her own look filled with confusion and intrigue as Johnny led them down the porch's steps once they had taken off their shoes and socks like he had asked. Feeling the still-warm blades of grass beneath her soles as Johnny brought them to a halt a few feet away from the porch.

"Promise it'll be soon; just need a moment, okay?" Johnny stated, starting to see the worry in their eyes as he affectionately brushed his thumbs along the back of their hands. Feeling their eyes on him as he walked back to the porch as all seven had filed out onto it after them. Seeing how Bill was taller than he was, John asked him to bend down just a bit so he could whisper into his brother's ear. "Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Johnny, but I don't understand," Bill said, speaking of the confusion they all felt by his actions.

"You don't have to understand to watch, mmmkay? Just be ready when I give you the signal," Johnny said, peering back at Bill, who nodded he would be before walking down the steps again. Not seeing the shrug Bill gave to their parents as they looked at him.

"Johnny..."

"Let me speak, okay? It's difficult for me," Johnny muttered in a shy tone, cutting his sister off. Seeing their eyes quivering when he reached up and caressed their cheeks. "I'm sorry I can't express that feeling like you want me to. I know you have been yearning for that to hear that word. Yet after Julia, I don't know if I'll ever be able to say it again. But just because I can't say it now doesn't mean I don't feel it." Seeing their eyes widening, the light within them burning brighter as they realized what he was inferring. "But I've thought long and hard on this."

"About what, Johnny?" Annie asked, nuzzling his hand, pressing her lips against it as her own covered his.

"I don't know if I'll be able to fully shed this pain, this fear, this torment that was thrust upon me. I don't know if I will fail..."

"If you trust in us, we will never let you fail," Janus spoke with conviction, with Annie nodding along.

"But I think I'm ready," Johnny said, continuing on after being interrupted.

"Ready for what, Johnny? You're not making any sense," Annie stated, her eyes studying her brother's face as he looked at the two of them and them alone.

"To move forward, to stop living in the past, to try and let that pain go," Johnny uttered truthfully. Seeing his mother's hands flying to her mouth as his words reached them. "You two have shown me it's okay to leave this darkness behind. To start to live again, so let me show you what you mean to me in my own way." Noting how they were biting their lips, trying to keep from tearing up at his words. Peering over at Bill, nodding to him that he was ready. Tapping his foot as the intro to Shinedown's 'Get up' began to play over the speakers of Bill's computer. Nodding along to the third line of the song, he had to agree all it did was dull the pain. Leaning in, lightly kissing the both of them, his hand rested gently on Janus' stomach. Praying that he could be a good father and that their daughter didn't inherit his illness. He had no idea what he would do if their daughter was subjected to what he was. He had a feeling if that happened, he might never come back from wherever his mind sent him after he snapped. Most likely, he would end up in a state mental ward for the rest of his life. Smirking at the line after it, he was intense, not that he wanted to be like this.

Lifting his arm, mimicking the singer's movements as he began to dance for them. He might not be able to express what he felt vocally at the moment. That didn't mean he couldn't show them through his actions. As the beat picked up, so did his dance, hoping they got why he chose this song. John couldn't help it; he felt himself smiling as they shook their heads when the song got to the line that spoke of doing much better. Noting how their hips started to sway, their bodies picking up the beat to mimic his own movements. Holding out his hands to them to symbolize his willingness to let them in. Who didn't hesitate to take his offered hands. Their yelp filled the air as John spun them into him.

"Wow, did you know he could dance?" Yasmine whispered to her sister as they all watched silently on.

"I did; he and Julia used to do it when they were in Raven Dale. As Johnny put it, it was the only relief they had from the horrors that were levied against them in that place," Ruth responded, not taking her eyes off the three of them. Although, it wasn't lost on her at how Kathrine was wiping away a few of her fallen tears. "You should have seen him at the party we went to a few weeks ago at our college. He was just amazing."

"Well, I do hope he saves me a dance. I would hate to be left alone at your wedding when I just want to shake my booty," Yasmine teased, noting how Bill was slyly glancing at her. "So, Bill, are you as endowed as your brother is?" she asked low so as not to ruin this moment for the three of them. Noting how Ruth pressed her knuckles to her lips to keep from laughing at Bill's startled look.

"No, Johnny's one of a kind in the family," Bill stuttered, being caught off guard.

"Mmm... that he is," Yasmine mused, still feeling John deep inside of her. While she couldn't say she would be ready to sleep with other men back in her hometown, she was happy that John agreed to help fight her demons with her. Wondering if this Julia that he knew did the same thing for him in that hospital. She knew his side of her character from what he had told her about Julia. The question remained, what kind of person was Julia, to begin with, if she could leave such an impression on John? That even four years after her death that she still influenced his life was commendable. Pondering if they could become like what he and Julia had, then again, she didn't think she could survive what he went through just to form that kind of bond. Although, she was happy that he was putting that past behind him.

She knew if he continued to stay in that hate, that darkness, eventually it would change him and not in the best way. Even though John had every reason to be angry at the world, to sneer and spat at those that refuse to see the truth about what happened in Raven Dale. Reminiscing the forum about Raven Dale when she was looking up what the hospital looked like at the time when John first went in. She was appalled at what she found on it. Reading how the people on it called it a conspiracy. Laughing about how the running joke was that if you spent the night, you'd hear the wails of the five women that died there. She could still feel her anger rising just recounting the moronic words the trolls were saying. It got to the point where she couldn't stand it any longer.

Laying into the whole forum, telling them they had absolutely no clue what they were talking about. That she knew the truth about what happened there. Not naming John in it, inferring that she was one of the survivors' friends and if he heard what they couldn't even comprehend what went on there. They wouldn't like it if some idiots on the internet made light of the pain and suffering he went through all so some random assholes could get a kick out of innocent peoples' pain. Stating to those mindless imbeciles wouldn't last a week in there given the things John had told her went on there. That all those macho armchair warriors would be crying like babies, begging someone to save them.

Only to find out people like them wouldn't give them a second thought. Telling them to think on this, that if it wasn't as bad as they claimed it was, then why were nearly most of the people that worked at the asylum were dead? Why would most of them go out by suicide by cop if everything was on the up and up? Telling them, she prayed that her friend never saw this forum. She would rather not have John snapping because internet trolls thought what he went through was just a figment of his imagination. With that, she left the forum, feeling soiled as she did, yet proud of herself for standing up for John. Hoping with the graphic novel they were working on together would open peoples' eyes to the truth about what really happened at that Hell on Earth.

Whistling loudly at the three of them as they went into a slow dance, swaying to a beat in their own heads, given how Shinedown's song had long since stopped. "You know, sis, someday, I hope I can find what they have," Yasmine stated, leaning into her sister when Ruth placed her arm around her.

"You will, I'm sure of it," Ruth said affectionately.

"Just look at our boy, Brandan; he's come so far," Kathrine sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know, other than the outburst at the courthouse, something I don't think I could hold back either if I was facing the man that raped my woman. Johnny's been rather pleasant as of late," Brandan said, rubbing Kathrine's shoulder.

"What do you think about taking him to see that new Spider-Man movie? Don't you think he'll enjoy it?" Kathrine asked, not taking her eyes off her son. "After we see Yasmine off, I mean."

"I think he will like it; I heard good things about it," Brandan answered. Hoping John could live with the results of what the jury decided. He just hoped it wouldn't set John off, knowing how it tested his son's limits yesterday. He knew it was very hard for him to do since John was a very private individual when he got released. Although, he had a feeling Jared would be acquitted of the mur*er charge. If what the man said was true when he took the witness stand, he didn't know if he wouldn't have acted like Jared did if that was Annie and Kathrine just threw away their daughter for a quick payday. Remembering the conversation he and John had after they had brought him into the house after finding him out in the rain screaming at the sky. He had the suspicion John was cursing God.

Something he was sure quite a few people could understand if he would allow something like that to happen. After all that he had heard yesterday, he still didn't have an answer as to why Julia's mother would just abandon her like that. He knew Kathrine would lay waste to everything in her path to get Annie out if they had listened to what John was telling them about the place. That would be his greatest regret that he would carry to his death bed and beyond. At the time, he and Kathrine were so lost as to why John was behaving like he was when up to that point in time, he was a normal kid. Their son's condition is so rare that there wasn't a lot of information about it to give them some insight into John's mind. Still, that was no excuse for not heeding his son's pleas. Wondering if John would ever forgive them for that. He did hope that one day John would.

"Johnny? It's getting dark; why don't the three of you come back inside, okay?" Kathrine called out in a motherly tone.

"Okay, Mom," Johnny replied as he hugged Annie and Janus tightly to him.

"I'm going to go run a bath, then we'll head to bed, mmmkay?" Janus whispered, holding John tightly against her. So very pleased that he took this step, a step she knew he needed to take, not by being prodded into it but of his own volition. She knew he would never forget Julia, and she didn't want him to. She knew if she tried to push him to, that would only push John away from her and their child, as well as dishonoring her memory and everything she went through and what she did for John. She had even introduced herself to her when John took her to Julia's grave once they had learned of their daughter's sex. She wondered how Julia would take the news if she was alive that they named their daughter Julia Anders Masters. Smiling seductively back at him when she climbed the stairs to the second-floor bathroom.

Swaying her ass just for him, knowing his eyes were always on it; in truth, that's where she always wanted his eyes to be when she left his side. She was going to hate Tuesday and Wednesday, given how she had to go back to her house at the lake to wait on the electrician she had coming to look at the switch and to visit her doctor for her check-up, also asking about the fertility drugs to see if that would improve the odds the next time around. If it worked, she knew she would be naming their second child. Feeling her heart race in excitement at the thought of having another. She knew if John could give her one already given her low odds, there was no telling what could happen with the drugs.

"Come, let's watch some TV while Janus bathes," Annie said sweetly, holding his hand in hers as she stood at his side.

"I don't get this show," Johnny spoke as they were watching a Game of Thrones episode. "Why do they keep saying winter is coming? Isn't that like supposed to happen? It is a season, usually followed after Fall." Peering over at Yasmine, who snorted in laughter as she sat beside him on the loveseat as he and Annie waited for Janus to get out of her bath. "Aren't they siblings? Didn't know they would show them fucking on TV." Johnny didn't watch much TV with his family; he normally was in his room reading his comics. He wasn't practically a fan of all the raping happening, either.

"We can watch something else, Johnny, if this is making you uncomfortable," Bill said, noting his brother's uneasiness.

"Yes, something better. Even Ben Affleck's Daredevil would be better than this," Johnny stated, and he disliked that movie with a passion.

"Johnny, what about that new Daredevil series they have out?" Brandan asked, seeing the surprise in his son's eyes.

"The what now?" Johnny muttered, turning his gaze towards his father.

"It's surprisingly good; I've seen a few of them. I think you'll like it," Yasmine said sweetly, laying her hand on John's upper arm. Seeing John scowling when Ryan Reynolds' 'Green Lantern' scrolled past as his father was searching for the Daredevil series.

"Something wrong, Johnny?" Wanda asked, seeing that look on his face.

"I don't get the fascination they have with Hal Jorden," Johnny said truthfully. " Kyle Rayner was a much better Green Lantern than Hal ever was."

"Huh? I don't understand?" Wanda muttered in confusion.

"Hal was the Green Lantern before Kyle; he was also the one that destroyed the Green Lantern Core in a fit of madness when the Cyborg Superman destroyed his home city. Kyle was the one that saved the Core and brought it back after Hal was killed off before becoming Spector," Johnny said, conveying his vast knowledge of the comic book world. "So I have to question why anyone would want to use Hal, seeing he isn't a hero. He's a villain."

"That's because those that makes those movies do a quick Google search on the subject and go with the first answer they get, which is normally about Hal Jordan. I'm in agreement; I prefer Kyle Rayner over Hal, too," Yasmine chimed in. "Just not his role in that 52 disaster."

"I know, right?! Can't believe they thought that was a good thing. That is why they had the Crisis on Infinite Earths in the first place, to get rid of the multiverse of theirs," Johnny spoke, seeing Yasmine following along while the others just stared at them, wondering what they were talking about.

"Wait, isn't that where they killed off Barry Allen?" Brandan spoke up.

"Yeah, hated how they got rid of him," Johnny grumbled.

"You know they brought him back, right?" Yasmine stated, clearly seeing how John didn't know that.

"What? No way, did they really?" Johnny asked, a little excited. He always loved the Silver Age Flash, which was Barry Allen compared to Wally West.

"You haven't read the Flash: Rebirth?" Yasmine asked with a questioning look.

"No, no, I have not," Johnny answered.

"That was how they brought Hal and Barry back," Yasmine informed him. Being in that line of work, she kept up to date with her competitors.

"Dad?"

"Want to go shopping for comics?" Brandan asked with a huge smile on his lips. Knowing this would give the two of them the perfect excuse to spend time together. "Then, after we see the new Spider-Man movie, we'll stop off at your favorite comic store and see if they have them in stock," he spoke as John nodded that he did. "Oh, seems that it doesn't air until Tuesday," Brandan said sadly when he imputed the show's name into the search bar, given how he couldn't find it anywhere. He was really hoping to send some more time with John.

"Ah, well, can't be helped," Johnny said, blowing out a breath. Turning his head when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Then a smile rose the corners of his lips as he heard her sweet voice calling out to him. With his medication starting to kick in, he didn't think he had much left in him to stay awake.

"Night, baby; you have a good sleep, okay?" Kathrine called out to him after getting her goodnight hug in. Looking lovingly at her son's back as he and Janus stood gazing at one another as Janus held her towel to her chest.

"I could spend my life in this sweet surrender. I could stay lost in this moment forever," Johnny quoted the two lines from the Aerosmith song. Watching how red her face was getting along with Annie's knowing, she knew he meant it for her as well.

"Johnny," Janus whispered breathlessly. "You do know how to make my heart flutter, don't you?" she cooed affectionately, wrapping her arm around his and led him off to their bedroom.

It was early on a Monday morning as Johnny, Janus, and his Mother sat on the bench beside the courtroom door. The others couldn't make it due to them having to return to their schools, and his father couldn't take another day off. He knew his mother would be heading for her job once the jury had ruled on its verdict. Kathrine wanted to make sure John could handle the news and, if he couldn't, take him to see Dr. Copper so he could talk about it. He did miss having Yasmine around. Remembering how she had held him as they stood in front of the front door before Bill and Ruth drove her to the airport. John did enjoy the Spider-Man movie more than he thought he would have.

He wasn't a fan of the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies. He had to admit at least they got Venom somewhat right in the movie, just not the origin of the symbiote. Given how Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker, picked it up during the Secret Wars, he was apart of and brought it back to Earth. He preferred Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man when he starred in The Amazing Spider-Man, and its sequel, then Tom Holland. He would give the actor credit. He did a good job in the movie. Yet what really had his attention was what came after. John greeted the old man who owned the store as he, with his father, Janus, and mother following behind. Turning to look where the man was pointing at where he kept that issue. Standing over the table, his fingers moved through the comics that lined the box already in their own plastic sheaths to protect them from the air.

His eyes ran over the cover, seeing how it was a four-part arch. Setting it aside, and continued his search anew for the other parts. Looking at his father oddly as he was browsing through the Green Lantern issues for the one about how they brought Hal Jordan back. He might not be a fan of that character, yet that didn't mean he wasn't interested in it. Watching how his father pulled out the same issues he had plucked out of the box and set them aside.

"Did you think you're going to enjoy reading about Barry alone?" Brandan asked with a warm fatherly smile on his lips from the other side of the table. "How about we read one a night, just the two of us? What do you say?" he inquired as they walked over to the counter once they had gotten the comics they came for.

"You sure?" Johnny spoke, peering over at his father.

"Of course, I'm sure," Brandan nodded firmly as he pulled out his wallet as the man rang them up.

"Do you want to pick up your order now or on your normal day?" the owner asked once he had bagged up the comics.

"Now, if you don't mind," Johnny answered, knowing he wouldn't have to walk the five miles to the store from where his school was to pick them up. Reaching back, about to pull out his own wallet, when his father touched his arm as the man rang up the twenty comics of various titles. His new favorite one was the Red Hood comic. He was probably one of the few people who actually liked Jason Todd as the second Robin. He was totally against how they had Joker kill him off. He was glad they killed off Damion. In his opinion, he didn't bring much of anything to the Robin mantle.

"What's that Red Hood comic about?" Brandan asked curiously as they walked out of the store. He had seen how his son's eyes lit up when he saw it.

"Jason Todd."

"Wait, wasn't he like Batman's sidekick or something?" Kathrine asked after the talk with Dr. Copper and how comics seemed to ease her son's troubled mind. She had spent many an hour combing through the internet, learning what she could about the comics her son enjoyed. Just so the two of them could have something to talk about and to help her relate to her son. While she wasn't a fan of comics, she personally thought they were juvenile, yet her son loved them, and truly, that's all that really mattered to her. Taking pride in how shocked her son looked as he stared at her.

"He was until they had a poll of their readers voting on whether or not to kill Jason off. It was a dark comic even by DC's standards with how the Joker killed him," Johnny said as the four of them rounded the corner of the store into its parking lot.

"Johnny, if they killed him off, how can he have his own comic?" Janus asked, confused.

"Ra's al Ghul, he's one of Batman's greatest foes; it was the reason why Batman and then Jason Todd were in that country as Ra's was selling nuclear weapons. Who he hired the Joker to distract the two of them from his schemes. In turn, this led to Jason's death; Ra's felt sorry for that, so he stole Jason's body and put him into the Lazarus Pit. That's how they bring people back from the dead and prolong one's life. Anyway, something went wrong, and Jason came back demented and escaped Ra's compound," Johnny said, seeing Janus listening to every word. He knew she wasn't into comics like he was; however, he was happy that she took an interest in them because of him.

"You ready, baby?" Kathrine asked, bringing John's wandering mind back to the present.

"Mmmhmm," Johnny said, getting to his feet.

"Good, come, let's go support Jared," Janus whispered lovingly as she squeezed John into her as the three of them walked into the courtroom.

John was a little unnerved when he noted the eyes of the jurors on him as they filed into the courtroom and into their box. He pondered on what they had thought about all weekend long. Wondering if his tale swayed them or if they didn't believe him like the prosecutor had stated. Looking down when Janus and his mother placed their hands over his, knowing their looks were amping up his paranoia. He would have dressed nicely for this, yet he didn't want to have to change in the car since he would be dropped off at school once this was over. He wished the women of the jury wouldn't keep staring at him as the prosecutor went through his closing statement urging them to convict Jared of mur*er in the first degree of his ex-wife and husband, to see that he serves the full sentence congruent to his life charge for the unintentional death of James Madicks. They couldn't charge him with mur*er since the guards there stated that the man was egging Jared on. So they could only tack on the manslaughter charge. Also, to see that Jared serves the full year for the breaking and entering charge.

John could see how the women weren't swayed by the man's words. He could also tell the men on the jury were having a hard time coming to terms with what was presented there last Friday. Wondering if they had daughters of their own or sons. If they would do what Jared had done if someone deliberately left their child in such a place, knowing full well what they were doing to them and cared not to save them from the horrors they were living in daily. It wasn't the first time that John wondered if his insanity was what kept him from losing it while in there. After Julia's suicide, the staff limited the availability of the roof key that she had taken off the man's body before John had stuffed him into that oversized duct. So as much as he wanted to join her, he couldn't since they kept all the sharp objects away from him.

Fearing that he would use them against them. Which if John had his way, he would have and enjoyed every second of it. Watching how Mrs. Hicks took command of the courtroom. He could see the years of being in a courtroom were paying off as she held the juror's attention. Telling them that anyone with a child that heard a fraction of what they had heard in that very courtroom, let alone hear the whole truth from one of the very survivors of Raven Dale like her client had done. Who, too, would lose it in a moment of rage like her client did. Those who were meant to protect their charges have yet to face the same fate they levied onto children who didn't deserve that kind of treatment. Pointing out the fact that the prosecutor didn't believe the words of the said person who sat up there on the witness stand, pointing over to it. Stressing how painful it was to John to constantly repeat the horrors in her law office, during preparation, and in that very courtroom to people, he didn't even know. Asking the jurors would they trust her counterpart, her arm waved over to the man; John noted how agitated he was as he shifted in his seat to protect the victims of Ra*e when he didn't believe a word from one before their very eyes. With that, she closed out her statement and moved back to her table, taking her seat as she did.

The three of them went to the closest little coffee shop after the judge had sequestered the jury for deliberations. Talking about anything and everything just to keep John's mind off of the outcome of the trial.

"Mom?" John's voice was soft as he stared at the soda bottle in his hand since he couldn't stand the taste of coffee. Smelled nice, yet to his mind, tasted awful.

"What is it, honey?" Kathrine responded, setting down her coffee cup on the table.

"What if I don't want to do the operation?" Johnny asked shyly, glancing up at his mother.

"Then that's what you decided, and we'll never speak of it again. But I hope, I really hope you really think about what you're giving up," Kathrine said sincerely.

"But if I can't remember, then how can I know what I'm giving up?" Johnny inquired in a quizzical light.

"That's not true, Johnny; you do remember, however, doing so puts you in the hospital. So the memories are still there, just buried behind the damage that doctor did to you," reaching across the table, lightly caressing her son's hand, "baby, I'm not going to deny the thought of getting some of the son that I once knew back, even if it's just your memories, is a something your father and I long for. Yet not at the cost of you; we've lost you for five years, and I'm not about to lose you again. Even if that boy can never be again," Kathrine spoke in a loving tone as her blue eyes held her resolve to live with whatever John decided.

"What about you?" Johnny asked, looking over to Janus.

"Well, I can understand why they would want you to get your memories back. I did know you before you went into that hospital, and I know how different you were from what you are now. I can sympathize with your parents. I don't know how I would react if, say, Julia came out of that place like you did," Janus answered after a few moments to gather her thoughts, resting her hand over her stomach, referring to their child. "Yet I can also understand your hesitation on the matter given everything that man did to you. I know it can't be easy allowing another doctor to operate on your brain. But don't just think of it as gaining access to the memories that were stolen from you.

Think of it as to lessen the seizures that you suffer from now. Think of Julia; what would happen to her if you were holding her, and you had one? Imagine how you would feel waking up in the hospital, learning you had unintentionally harmed her. I'm not saying that to sway you into going ahead with it. But to look at the larger picture, baby, you know I love you. More than I ever loved my ex, but I'm going to worry like hell, and I know you can't help it when one strikes; no one can. Even with the medication you're on, that doesn't stop them from happening," she stated, referring to the night in his parents' kitchen after speaking with Yasmine for the first time. "I know you're scared, baby. I'm scared for you because I wouldn't be able to go with you, and every day you're away, recovering in that room is going to be the worst day of my life. Because I won't be there to nurse you, to take care of you, to crawl into that bed and just hold you. Nevertheless, I will stand beside you in whatever you choose."

"I take it you and Annie have spoken about this a lot?" Johnny asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Of course," Janus answered, smiling as she brought her coffee cup up to her lips. "She isn't the only one, either," she mused, glancing over at his mother.

"What if something happens to me on the table? What will you do if I die?"

"Don't you think like that?!" Kathrine snapped; she was not willing to accept that fate. Still, even if she didn't want to think about it, she knew it was a possibility. "Honey, Johnny, you know as well as we all do the results from the testing. The chance of you being injured or dying..." How she hated to say that word, "Is very small, I'm not saying the risk isn't there, but from what your doctor sent us is very minute."

"And if it fails?" Johnny asked with a pointed look.

"Then we can be happy that you tried, not just for us, but for your family, for Annie and your little girl. Because you and I know how happy Annie would be to know you can remember back to those days without being sent to the hospital," Kathrine said with a loving smile. "I'm not trying to force you to do this; I'll still love you, my li'l John," biting her lip at how he blushed at that name, "I'll just be sad that when I tell my grandbaby about when you were little, you won't get embarrassed from it."

"On another note, when do you think it'll be a good time to have the baby shower?" Janus asked; they were holding off on it until John made his choice.

"What do you say the day after we get back? Then we can have it at your place, you're lake house, because I'm sure you'll want your friends to come that live up there, and we don't mind driving. Then if it's too late, spend the night and head home in the morning. I'm sure the boys can survive without us for a day," Kathrine said, smirking at her son.

"I think you're referring to the other three; I'll do just fine," Johnny countered, unscrewing his cap.

"You sure?" Kathrine asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Quite sure, the other three will devolve into something a kin to Lord of the Flies, and when the evening rolls around, I'll be riding Ray around like a tauntaun. Then I will crown myself King of the Morlocks," Johnny said in a joking manner. Watching how Janus tried not to shoot her coffee out of her nose as she fought back from laughing while his mother tossed her head back and howled in laughter. Noticing how that got a few of the patron's attention as they peered over at them. "I thrive in chaos," he stated, seeing the burning amusement in his mother's eyes as she had this warmness to her smile that he had failed to notice ever since returning from Raven Dale. It's always been there; he just refused to see it at the time.

Looking down when his mother's phone went off as they had been sitting in the coffee shop for close to an hour. "Johnny seems the jury has come back," Kathrine said, glancing up from her phone, knowing this was too quick for them to have decided anything.

"Then let's see what they have to say," Johnny spoke, getting up from his seat. Helping Janus up, getting a quick kiss in, and lightly rubbed her stomach just to say hello to their sleeping child. Seeing that look in her eyes whenever he did such a thing, knowing how she had once thought such a thing would never happen to her. He knew if he ever got his hands on the man... that be the day he would willingly release his hold on his insanity. Now whether or not his mind could return back to its current state afterwards, he couldn't say.

"You going to be okay, Johnny?" Janus whispered as they walked hand in hand into the courthouse.

"Think so," Johnny nodded. Remembering his conversation with Yasmine when she gave him a sneak peek at what the future held for her Porn Star graphic novels. Recounting how he had wished Ira was real, so those that were dead and still alive felt his vengeance. Yet Ira was just a fictional character, and he had to live in reality as much as that pained him to do.

"The judge should be here any moment." John heard Mrs. Hicks whisper to Jared as she lightly placed a hand on his arm. Seeing Jared nod in response, wondering what was going through his mind right then. He knew from what she had told him when she was prepping him for his testimony that this was not normal. Given what she had told him, she had speculated that they would probably deliberate for most of the day, maybe into the next if the judge sent them back. Rising to his feet as the bailiff called out as the judge entered the courtroom soon following after the jury.

"Madam foremen, when I sequestered you, I did not think you'd be back so soon. I assume you have a verdict?" Judge Blackwell spoke, peering over at the twelve.

"We do, your honor," the woman said, getting to her feet.

"I see; then please hand your verdict to the bailiff if you would," she said, waving to the man. Pressing her lips together as she read the folded piece of paper before handing it back to the bailiff. "On the charge of first-degree mur*er, how do you find the defendant?"

"Not guilty," the woman said in a firm tone.

"Order in this court!" Judge Blackwell barked as chaos erupted from behind the prosecutor's table. "I said: Order in this court! If you can't be silent in my courtroom, I will have you barred from the rest of this hearing," she hissed coldly, pointing her gavel at Julia's grandparents. "Now," turning back to the woman, "on the charge of second-degree manslaughter, how do you find the defendant?"

"Guilty."

"On the charge of braking and entering, how do you find the defendant?"

"Guilty."

"This court thanks each and every one of you for your diligence in this matter. Sentencing will be held..."

"You're honor, if I may?" Mrs. Hicks cut in.

"Yes?"

"On the off chance my client would be found guilty, he has informed me that he would rather be sentenced now than wait," Mrs. Hicks stated, lightly placing a hand on Jared's shoulder. She knew she might not get him off on all the charges, yet whatever the judge gave him would be far shorter than life in prison. "And if he could continue to serve out his sentence where he is currently incarcerated at."

"Why?" the judge asked, confused by the request.

"My life ended when they took my baby girl from me; Johnny is the last connection I have to her. Given what he deals with and him not being able to drive, seeing how his parents or his girlfriend are the ones that brings him to visit me. I would hope that you will grant me this request so Johnny can still visit me when he needs to without having to travel halfway across the State just for a half an hour talk," Jared answered before his lawyer could.

"Approach the bench, young man," Judge Blackwell ordered, looking right at Johnny.

"Yes?" Johnny replied when he got up to her.

"Is what he says true?" she asked, peering down at him.

"That I can't drive?" Johnny retorted.

"Yes."

"It is; my doctor has urged me not to, given how my seizures can happen without any sign that my brain is about to go wanky," Johnny said truthfully.

"And how often do you visit the defendant?"

"As often as possible when the jailhouse lets me and when I'm not in school."

"And speaking with him so much, does that truly help you?" Judge Blackwell asked in a caring tone as she folded her hands on her desk.

"In a way, yes, it does," Johnny nodded.

"And how does it help you?"

"It helps me to deal with her loss and to repay back the girl I fell in love with in that hellhole. Without her, I doubt I would be standing here speaking to you. It was because of her that she gave me strength to endure Dr. Mott's sadistic treatments."

"Thank you for your candor; you may retake your seat. I do hope in time that you can put this experience far behind you," Judge Blackwell said in a kind tone, seeing John nod in response. Yet who could truly put what happened to them behind them if they had suffered as he did? John knew he had to try, or at least not allow it to creep into his thoughts like it has done for the past five years. "Mr. Anders, in light of the verdict handed down by the jury, I hear by sentence you to the maximum six and a half years for the wrongful death of James Madicks and the full year for your breaking and entering to run congruent once your first charge has run out. Before I close this case, I would like to say what I have heard in this very courtroom chills my blood.

To think that people who were meant to help, to care for those too ill to know right from wrong. To prey upon the innocent like that man has described, and I would have to know what he had left out from his testimony if that place of supposedly healing was as depraved as he described. It's my hope that we can simply trust those that we place our most vulnerable in their care. That we as a society must see that they never have to experience what those poor souls had to endure when we as a whole failed to listen when their cries for help went unanswered. The case of the State of Oregon vs. Mr. Anders is here by closed; court adjourned." The sound of her gavel rang out so ending this saga of John's life.

"You take care of yourself, Johnny," Jared said, hugging him once the bailiff said it was okay. "You got to be strong now; you have a little girl to raise," he spoke in a fatherly tone, resting his hand on the back of John's neck. "Don't let anyone take her from you like Julia was from me."

"I won't," Johnny nodded in determination, to not have his child endure an ounce of what he went through.

"Good. I know Julia would have been proud of you for what you did here," Jared stated with a warm smile. "May I? I might never get a chance for some time," he spoke, nodding down to Janus' stomach.​