This was no normal trial or hearing. The boy that I had beaten, Scott Jameson, and his family didn't like having all eyes on them and what happened. Even though everyone in town knew about what I had done, the Jameson family wanted the hearing to be behind closed doors. It would only be them, the judge, Doctor Gram, my mother and I. And possibly my father if he even bothered to show up.

Doctor Gram was the last one to give his take on what happened that night, all the other witness statements heard before hand were the reason I had been forced into therapy sessions to begin with. Even though each person who had seen what I had done still said that before the incident I was just like any of them. Innocent.

That had given the judge a reason to believe that I may have acted on an impulse that Scott Jameson was a bad person. Which the judge would find out today was the truth. It was hard to believe that my future would be decided in just a few hours.

"Cal?" My mother poked her head into my room before she fully opened the door and stepped inside. "How are you feeling?"

I shook my head as I stared at myself through my mirror, once again loosening the tie around my neck. I could hear my mother sigh behind me as she stepped up and fixed the tie for me. I kept my eyes on the ceiling not want to meet my mother's gaze. I knew if I did she would ask if I was all right... and I was, I think. I just had to hope that Doctor Gram would stick to his word. This was all riding on him now.

It had been over a week since I had last seen or spoken to Skyler. I knew we were over and it hadn't even truly started yet. I had no idea who she was with or what she was doing. I didn't know if Jacob had hurt her again after I left their house. I didn't know anything and it was driving me insane. I was more worried about her than myself and that scared me a little.

"Are you ready?" My mother spoke quietly once she had fixed my tie and flattened out the wrinkles on my button up shirt.

I let out a long breath before I nodded. "I'm ready."

"All rise."

I stood from my seat at one of the two large wooden tables set up in front of the bench where the judge would take her seat. She walked into the room, surveying the people around me before finally sitting down. I cleared my throat as I glanced at my public defender who nodded as if to say it was okay for me to take my seat once again.

As I did so, my eyes scanned the tiny courtroom. Large windows let light flood into the room from all sides and as I turned slightly in my seat I caught a glimpse of Scott, who sat at the other table a few feet away from me. To my surprise I felt nothing as he stared back at me with an emotion I could only read as pure hatred. I wondered if I ever saw Skyler again if she would look at me the same way as he was now.

My body turned just ever so slightly more so I could see Doctor Gram out of the corner of my eye. The judge was speaking, but I wasn't listening as Doctor Gram stood from his seat and came toward the front of the room.

"Doctor Gram." He gave a slight nod toward the judge as he took his seat at the stand. "Mr. Hood was asked to see you once a week for the past nine weeks. Did he complete that task?"

Doctor Gram nodded in conformation. "Yes, he did."

The judge set the papers down she was reading from before she gestured for him to going on. "Please inform the court as to your findings on Mr. Hood's psyche through these sessions."

Doctor Gram cleared his throat, sending me a look before he relaxed back in the chair. Sometimes I didn't know how he stayed so calm. He had to deal with mentally unstable people on a daily basis and yet it seemed as though his own mind never once faltered. I guess that had to be the case to do what he did for a living. I truly admired him.

"As you know, you asked Mr. Hood to come in to see me so I could evaluate if he might be a potential threat to the people around him."

I sat tense in my seat as he continued. "From what I gathered from Mr. Hood, it seemed as though he was acting on the knowledge that Mr. Jameson was about to hurt someone else."

"Is this true Mr. Hood?" Everyone's eyes turned to me and I wanted nothing more than to run right out of that courtroom.

With one reassuring nodded from Doctor Gram, I answered the judge. "Yes, ma'am. I heard some troubling sounds coming from behind a door and when I went to investigate I found Sco-"

I paused and tugged at my tie before glancing over at Scott and his family that sat behind him. The heavy glare on his face was threatening, but this hearing wasn't about his future, it was about mine and I would do anything to stay out of jail.

"-Mr. Jameson forcing himself onto a girl."

There was a slight gasp from his mother, but I kept my eyes forward trying to keep my confidence up.

"When we first met, you had no idea what had happened that night." The judge turned to Doctor Gram once again. "How did he come to this conclusion?"

"It seemed as though Mr. Hood had shut the whole incident out and we found that the only way he remembered anything was through his subconscious."

Doctor Gram continued. "We had a hypnotherapy specialist come in at one of our final sessions thinking it would help unlock the rest of what had happened that night."

To be completely honest, I had pretty much blacked out throughout that entire session. Doctor Gram never once brought up what I might have said or done while under. And I had never asked because I was too caught up with what was happening with Skyler, but now I was about to find out.

"The amount of pain that could be seen on his face was undeniable," Doctor Gram spoke.

"Did he say anything?" The judge asked.

"Only small muttering. You see it was as if he was reliving the entire event in his head." He glanced toward Scott. "But it was quite clear that what happened that night was justifiable. If he hadn't intervened I'm sure an innocent girl could have been raped."

"Mr. Hood has shown me that he only ever acts when he believes something is truly wrong." He smiled slightly. "Or in this case if someone else was being harmed."

"What other instances have you come across where he has done something like that?" The judge looked surprisingly interested.

"With another one of my patients actually."

My whole body tensed and I laid the palms of my hands flat against the table in front of me, thinking it might calm my nerves.

"Mr. Hood took it upon himself to help a patient who has been in the same situation as the girl from that night had been in, but for years."

To my surprise my lawyer stood from his seat and I was completely shocked when he spoke next. "If it's alright, I'd like to call in Ms. Skyler Park to speak on her own behalf."

I spun around in my chair as the door to the courtroom opened and in walked the girl I thought I would never see again. Her eyes were on the ground as she walked up the aisle toward the front of the room. It felt like I was about to puke, I was so nervous. What was she going to say? I thought Doctor Gram was the one who had the authority so save me from my impending sentence, but now it all came down to Skyler and her opinion of me.

"Ms. Park." The judge gestured for her to take up the seat that Doctor Gram had just stepped down from.

"You came here on your own accord to speak. Please explain how Mr. Hood has helped you."

"Yes. Hi. Umm..."

Skyler finally glanced my way and I felt a new wave of emotion wash over me. Like I had thought, there was a fresh bruise on her jaw line. But as our eyes met for the first time in almost two weeks, I still couldn't tell what she would say. Why had no one told me she was going to be here?

"Well, I first met Calum at the hospital where Doctor Gram works." She fidgeted with the hem of her blouse as she spoke. "He seemed like a very quiet guy to be honest, but nice."

She paused in thought. "One of his old friends once told me to be careful around Calum and at that point I didn't understand why he would say something like that, but now I know..."

I shut my eyes waiting for her to tell everyone how scared of me she was and how I deserved whatever punishment the judge saw fit.

"I've been in an abusive relationship for almost three years." I cringed at her words not even knowing it had been that long. "But Calum has been the only person to ever take action against what was being done to me. My family and friends finding it easier to ignore."

"I honestly could never have stood up for myself like I have and ended it with my now ex-boyfriend if it wasn't for him. No matter what he might have done, it doesn't mean that he is a bad person at heart. He was only trying to help that girl, the same way he has helped me these last few weeks. Please don't punish him for doing something any decent human being would have done if they had been placed in that same situation."

I wanted to cry right then and there. She was truly a godsend in that moment and I had no idea how I would ever be able to repay her.

"Thank you, Ms. Park." The judge smiled politely. "You may step down now."

Skyler nodded before doing as she was told. I watched her carefully, hoping she would look my way when she pasted by, but there was no such luck, her eyes were once again glued to the floor. I turned back toward the judge as she spoke my name.

"Mr. Hood with what has been said here today and what information was given by the witnesses from that night, I have come to my conclusion..."

The air was tense and the room silent as we all waited to hear the verdict.

"I believe that you, Calum Hood acted in a justifiable manner in hopes of protecting someone else's well-being." She paused and I could already feel the weight lifting from my shoulders. "You will serve two years probation and 150 hours of community service. Along with that, you will continue to have mandatory therapy sessions with Doctor Gram."

My eyes widened as the gavel came down against the wooden surface below it, the harsh sound signaling the end of my hearing. My heart pounded in my chest as my lawyer shook my hand and congratulated me, my mother then wrapping me in a tight embrace. Over my mother's shoulder I watched as Scott and his family left the courtroom in a huff, his mother wallowing over what may happen to her son if the girl from that night ever came forward to press charges. I could only imagine what Scott's future held now that his parents knew who he truly was.

I couldn't believe it. After all the nightmares and nerves, I wouldn't be spending a single day in jail. It was beyond me how after beating someone so badly that I gotten the sentence that I did. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but it was better than what I had thought would happen. I'd take probation and Doctor Gram's balding head over prison any day.

I searched the room for any sign that Skyler was still there, but I didn't see her anywhere. I exited the room, my mother still discussing my probation and community service with my lawyer. My feet carried me down the hallway, passed the scrutinizing eyes of Scott Jameson and out the front entrance.

Skyler's back was turned to me as she spoke to Doctor Gram down on the sidewalk. I trotted down the stairs and met Doctor Gram's eyes as I made my way toward them.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hood." The older man stuck his hand out for me to shake.

"Thank you, sir." I smiled slightly as my gaze rested on Skyler, who had moved away from me slightly. "I never would have gotten the sentence I did without you... Or Skyler."

She looked up at me then and I smiled as best I could.

"I'll leave you two to it." Doctor Gram patted us both on our shoulders before he turned away. "I'll be seeing you next week at session, Mr. Hood."

"Yes, you will." I confirmed with a nod.

Skyler and I stood there in silence for a long time. I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my pants, not really knowing what else to do with them as I stared at her and she stared at the ground.

"So you're not going to jail," She stated quietly and I nodded even though she couldn't see it.

"No, I'm not."

Skyler finally looked up at me with guilty eyes. "I'm so sorry for what happened the last time we saw each other."

I shook my head, but she kept going anyway. "I should never had stayed there, I should have left with you when I had the chance."

I lifted one of my hands hesitantly and ran my thumb against the bruise on her jaw, speaking in a low tone. "This wouldn't have happened if I would have stayed."

"It's never going to happen again, I can assure you that." She sounded more than confident.

"You're done with him?" I wanted to be absolutely sure.

Skyler nodded in response, a light smile playing across her lips. "I was done with him the second I spoke to you."

A grin spread across my face and I reached out to take her hands in mine. "Everything is finally looking up."

Skyler's smile matched mine as I turned to look at my mother as she called out to us. I looked back down at the girl in front of me and squeezed her hands slightly for reassurance. "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah," Skyler bit at her lip nervously as she spoke and I knew that this was the fresh start I had been hoping for. "I'd love that."