Set-Up

[Ashirr-Leigh]

He wasn't sure what to think about the day's proceedings in court. In one way, things had went well. Jessie's evidence had been shaky, possibly not enough to hold him to the charges. Dani's evidence had looked bad for him but then his lawyer had discredited almost all of it. However, he couldn't let himself feel too good about this. It meant that two women were suffering a pain that he couldn't even begin to understand.

"We're looking good, Kane."

"Really?"

"Yeah! You should be more positive. The prosecution have hardly anything on you."

"Ok.. well, I suppose that's good."

"You suppose? It's great! If things keep going like this, you'll get off no problem."

Kane still couldn't ignore the fact that he had to spend that night in jail. Seeing Kirsty that day had made him even more determined to get out. Her bump was only just beginning to show now and he couldn't help but feel that he should be there for her. She needed him and, perhaps more importantly, they needed to be a family again.

***

Sat in the corridor waiting for Kirsty, Dani looked up to see Jessie standing infront of her.

"Thank you."

The girl's voice was shaky but Dani could tell that she was trying her best to keep it together. She could see so much of herself at 17 in Jessie.

"What for?"

"Because you did your best. You didn't have to tell the court what happened to you."

Scott, who had been sitting with Dani, quietly walked away, leaving the two girls alone to chat.

"If he's guilty, he deserves to be punished."

"He is."

"Just.. don't pin your hopes on getting a conviction. It doesn't always turn out that way."

"So my lawyer keeps telling me. How can they not convict him though? He's done it twice now. He's raped two people. He can't get away with it."

Dani sat back down. The day had taken it's toll on her but she knew they would all be like this until the trial was over. Even then, things wouldn't be the same.

"It's Jessie, right?"

"Right."

"I just don't want you to think that he'll definately go to jail. That didn't happen for me. You have to prepare yourself for that."

"How did you do it?"

"What?"

"Deal with it. When he got out."

"I didn't. Not for a long time. I'd set my heart on him going to jail.. then he didn't. I didn't know what to do. Couldn't handle it. That's why I'm saying to you. Prepare yourself."

"I don't want to. He deserves to go to jail.."

Dani took Jessie into a massive hug, one victim to another. They'd both bared their hearts in the courtroom that day. They were both feeling vulnerable, upset, confused.

"Listen. I'm going to give you my number and I want you to call me if you ever, ever need to talk, ok?"

"Ok, thank you."

She wrote down her number and walked away, not willing to break down yet again.

***

He turned his key in the lock, fully expecting to see Tasha sitting by the phone. And she was. Sitting, waiting for someone to call her and let her know what had went on.

"Any news?"

"Not yet."

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"For the way I've been acting. I know how close you are to Kane."

She turned to face her husband, feeling guilty for the way she'd neglected him, and Simona, of late.

"No, I'm sorry. I haven't been a proper wife or mother to you and Simona for weeks now, my head's just been elsewhere."

"Tash, you don't have to apologise, for anything. You were right when you said the other day that if it was Scott or Henry, I'd be the same. Kane's like your brother, I respect that."

"I love you so much."

"And I love you. You know that. We can't let this come between us, ok?"

"Of course not."

***

As she turned the corner of the courtroom looking for Scott or Kirsty, she heard a familiar voice talking.

"You should have seen his face, dad."

She couldn't place where she knew the voice from, just a niggling thought at the back of her mind told her that she knew it.

"He was gutted."

No, still couldn't place it. She didn't want to go round and look, incase she disturbed whoever it was.

"Oh, don't worry, he'll pay. I made sure of that. The chick hasn't got a clue. She really believes it was Kane who raped her. She's got no idea, dad."

Then it clicked. It was Scott. Scott Phillips.

Dani squeezed her eyes shut, frantically trying to process what she'd just heard. It wasn't Kane, that's what the man was saying. Kane hadn't raped Jessie.

"No, don't worry, she didn't see me. Or if she did, she doesn't recognise me. I had a balaclava on, it's ok, don't worry. I won't be caught out."

She held her breath, not wanting to make any sound at all. She couldn't believe that he'd come to court. He was letting his brother take the blame for something that he had done.

Now she had to decide what to do. She knew the right thing was to tell someone. A lawyer, a police officer, a judge, anyone. They would listen to what she'd heard and arrest Scott, the real rapist. She knew that was the right thing to do.. but.. a part of her still wanted him to pay for what he'd done to her. For what he was still doing to her. This trial was her only chance to get justice.

Dani shook her head, turned away and ran out of the court room, making for home.

[Ashirr-Leigh]

"Aiden, auntie Dani doesn't want to play, leave her alone."

The little boy stormed to his bedroom in a huff. There was never anyone to play with now. They always just wanted to talk to each other, put their serious faces on, be boring adults.

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, he's just a kid, of course he's going to want to play."

"He just misses Kane so much, you know?"

Scott's voice came rushing back into her head.

She really believes it was Kane who raped her.

"Mmm."

"Are you alright, Dani?"

Dani had to think fast, there was no way she could tell Kirsty what she'd heard. She had to think it through first.

"Yeah, yeah, I was just thinking of Lou. She's missing Ethan too. He keeps on trying to call me."

"But you won't talk to him?"

She shook her head ferociously, the very thought of the idea seemed absurd. With everything that was going on, she had no time for Ethan and his games.

"You do know that he has a right to see Louisea, don't you?"

"Yeah? Well not right now he doesn't."

***

As Jessie lay on her bed, Dani's words echoed through her mind. The possibility that Kane might not be convicted hadn't even entered her thoughts, even though her lawyer had persistently told her that it may be likely. When you don't want something to happen so much, you convince yourself that it won't.

"Mum?"

While the trial was going on, Felicity (Jessie's mum) insisted on staying with her daughter, to give her all the support and care that a mother should.

"Yes, sweetheart? You ok?"

Felicity perched herself on the end of Jessie's bed, taking her daughter's hand.

"I spoke to Dani today."

"The other girl?"

She gently nodded her head, mulling over what Dani had told her.

"What did she say to you?"

"She told me not to get my hopes up. She said that Kane might not be found guilty."

Jessie looked into her mother's eyes, hoping, somehow, that she could tell her that Dani was wrong. Of course Kane would be convicted, that's what she wanted to hear but, not so deep down, she knew it might not happen.

"She's right, you know."

The silent tears spilled out from her eyes and before she knew it, she was sobbing in her mother's arms. The thought that the man who had caused her so much pain might get away with it was just inconceivable to her.

***

Cradling her daughter in her arms, Dani listened to Scott's voice in her head time and time again. There was no way of ignoring what he had said, was there?

"Mummy, where was you today?"

"I was with auntie Kirsty, sweetie."

"I miss you."

"Aww, darling, I missed you too, I missed you too."

She squeezed Louisea even tighter, afraid that she would lose her just like she'd lost so much else. Why had she heard him? Why did it have to be her?

"Dan?"

Abruptly, she turned around, finding herself face to face with her dad.

"Yeah?"

"How you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"You know you don't have to pretend for me, don't you?"

Dani lay Louisea on the couch beside her as she drifted off to sleep, content that her mummy was now by her side.

"I don't really know how I feel, dad."

"From what Scott says, it was a tough day at court."

"They didn't believe me."

"I'm sorry."

She rested her head on her dad's shoulder, wishing that, like as a child, her father could solve her problem.

"I don't know what to think anymore."

"What do you mean? Don't worry about the defence lawyer not believing you, it's his job to discredit your evidence."

"But if he convinces the jury that I'm lying then they won't convict Kane and he'll get off again, he won't go to prison.. but.. but then I don't even know if I want him to go, what if he shouldn't go?"

"I don't understand.."

"What if he didn't do it?"

"That's not for you to decide, Dani."

"It is, it is, dad."

"What's on your mind, Dani?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters."

She so nearly told him, nearly blurted out that it wasn't Kane who had raped Jessie, it was Scott, it was his brother.

"I just need to think it through by myself first, dad.. but thanks."

The fact still remained, however, that he was the one who had raped her. It hadn't been Scott or anyone else then, it had been him. And yet he hadn't been punished. She hadn't gotten justice, the justice that she fully deserved. Could she now make sure that she finally did make him pay?

***

After Dani had left, Kirsty had left Aiden to stew in his room for a while, hoping that it would calm him down. She couldn't have been more wrong.

She opened up his door and was horrified to see that he'd drawn all over the walls with his felt tip pins.

"Aiden! What have you done?"

He sat on his bed and innocently looked at his mother as if he had done nothing wrong.

"Answer me! What did you do that for?"

"I didn't."

"Don't you lie to me, Aiden Phillips. I know it was you, no one else has been in here."

He'd only used one colour - black. Black scribbles were covering the walls, his once yellow wallpaper now the inferior colour.

"It's everywhere, Aiden, what do you think you're playing at?"

"I was bored."

"Bored? Is this what you do when you're bored?"

"There was no one to play with me!"

There was something so sad in his voice that instantly melted her heart. How could she be angry at him?

"Sweetie, I'm sorry I've not been paying you much attention lately but there's alot going on."

"Like what?"

"It's grown up stuff, Aiden."

"But I am grown up now! You and daddy said so!"

"This is proper grown up stuff, Aiden. Don't worry, ok? It'll all be sorted out soon."

"When daddy comes back? Is that when it'll be sorted out?"

"Yeah.. yeah, I guess it will."

***

"Beth said it's looking good for Kane so far."

"For real?"

"Yeah!"

Robbie could tell that Tasha was excited, perhaps a little too excited.

"Kane's lawyer must be really good."

"Yeah."

"What's wrong? You don't still think he's guilty, do you?"

"Tash, I just don't want you to get too excited, he might still be guilty."

"But the fact that things are going his way is a good sign, Rob."

"Of course it is but just don't get too excited, ok?"

She nodded her head and went to tend to Simona who had began shouting for her mum.

Back in the living room, Robbie still had his doubts. He never trusted people easily, it was just something in him that always held him back. So, accepting Kane had been difficult for him. Every night, he tried to convince himself that Kane hadn't attacked the girl or robbed the bank but he wasn't 100% sure.

***

"It'll be ok, Jessie. Don't worry."

"I really want him to pay, Dani."

"I know.."

Dani had been woken up by the phone ringing at 6.30am that morning. Jessie. Dani hadn't expected her to call so soon but was glad that she had. She wanted to help her. This conversation only proved to make her extremely uncomfortable, however. Jessie was eager for Kane to be punished but Dani knew that he shouldn't be.

"I can't thank you enough for testifying.. and for giving me your number."

"It's the least I could do. I just want to help, maybe if I'd had someone to talk to when I was going through this, I would have worked things out alot easier."

There was only one solution for the both of them. Jessie wanted Kane to go to jail. So did she. Well, part of her did. She kept changing her mind. How would she ever be able to look Kirsty in the eye again, knowing that she held the key to her husband's freedom? It was a price that she would just have to pay.

Sending Kane to jail would make alot more people happy than it would if he was released. Jessie, her dad, Scott, her. As selfish as it sounded, she had to do something for herself. Kane deserved to pay for what he had done to her, albeit 9 years too late. She had to make him pay, she had to regain the power.

Her mind was made up. She would keep the information to herself, Kane would pay.

[Ashirr-Leigh]

Ok, this is nearing the end now but I'm not going to say how it'll go. Thanks for the reviews that people have given me for this and for my other fics!

Kane had now been on the stand for five minutes, his lawyer taking the time to build up a good character for him. He'd mentioned Kirsty and their devotion to each other, his love for his son and his eagerness to meet the next edition to the Phillips family.

"So, on the night in question, you say that you were at home until around 10.45pm."

"That's right."

"Then where did you go?"

This was the tricky part. He'd told Kirsty that a mate needed a shoulder to cry on so he'd went to see him. When Kane had relayed this story to his lawyer, his first question had been who? Kane, of course, could not answer this as there was no one. No one but his brother.

"I just went out for a while, for a walk."

"So late at night?"

"I wasn't feeling too good, I needed to clear my head."

Both Kane and his lawyer knew that the story was flimsy but they had nothing else to come up with. Even if Kane had told the court that he'd went to meet his brother, it wouldn't have done him much good because his brother hadn't showed and he was still left without an alibi.

"Ok, and what time did you return home at?"

"Around midnight."

"So you stayed out for an hour and fifteen minutes?"

"Yeah."

Many members of the jury shook their head in disbelief.

"Ok, Kane, let's talk about the past. Your relationship with Danielle Sutherland."

"It wasn't a relationship as such."

Dani held Scott's hand tighter than she had been before, hoping that not too much time would be spent talking about the past.

"But she flirted with you, yes?"

"We flirted with each other."

"And you kissed?"

"Yes."

"So you were led to believe that Miss Sutherland wanted to take the relationship further."

"Well.. yeah."

Dani's breathing got heavier and heavier as she heard Kane talk about what had happened. They never spoke about it.

"You wanted to have sex with her and you believed that she wanted to have sex with you."

"At first, yeah."

"So when she subsequently pressed charges or rape on you, you were surprised?"

"Yeah."

Kane wasn't lying, he genuinely had been surprised. He was still in the frame of mind then that Dani had wanted it, she'd just been playing games with him.

"And let it just be known to the jury that Mr Phillips was not found guilty of any charge."

Most of the jury turned round to face Dani at that point, not knowing who to believe between herself and Kane.

***

Ten minutes later and the court had adjourned for lunch. Dani found an excuse to get away and was now sitting herself in the ladies toilets. Keeping what she knew to herself was harder than she first thought. It was like she was torn. Half of her wanted so much to make Kirsty and Aiden happy by telling the truth and making sure that Kane got the freedom he deserved. The other half, however, wanted him to suffer in jail for what he'd done to her. He was still affecting her so why shouldn't she have a say in what happened to him?

"Dan?"

"Kirst?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just feel a bit lightheaded."

She unlocked the cubicle and began splashing her face with water.

"Maybe you should go home, you don't need to be here."

"I want to be here."

"But you know it's going to get worse. They'll be talking about what Kane did to you and you don't look like you can handle it."

"I've handled it for 9 years, Kirsty."

"Sorry."

Dani turned round to face her sister and took her hand.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking what I'm feeling out on you. I'm just a bit on edge just now."

"Well then you should go home!"

"No, look, I know you mean well but I'm staying, I have to here this."

***

"You may have been found not guilty in the past, Mr Phillips, but is it not true that you now admit that you did indeed rape Miss Sutherland?"

Admitting that he was a rapist was hard for Kane. If only he'd somehow met Kirsty before anything had happened with Dani, then his conscience would be clear.

"Yes.. but it was a long time ago and I've changed, I've changed alot."

"If, like you say, you have changed so much then why can you not account for your whereabouts on the night of the Yabbie Creek bank robbery and the rape of Miss Nairn?"

"I was out.."

"Out is not good enough, Mr Phillips. Out where? Out for a walk? Or out robbing the bank?"

"No!"

"Well, where were you then?"

"Walking, I was out walking."

The prosecution lawyer looked hugely satisfied with himself. By provoking Kane, he'd managed to get him angry, show the jury what he was like.

"I have no further questions, your honour."

After the closing speeches, the jury where sent to make their decision. Many of them had already made up their minds.

***

[Ashirr-Leigh]

Ok, it's been a while and I know that (I'm also sorry for it!) but here is the next chapter. It's very close to the end now so.. yeah.. read and review, please!

Every single person in the court room had alot riding on the jury's verdict. One way or another, it would change so many lives.. for better or for worse.

The wait was the most unbearable part. Knowing that twelve people were making a decision that would inevitably alter your life was increasingly frustrating but also overwhelmingly nervewracking.

What if they get it wrong? This was the sole thought on Kirsty's mind. If they got it wrong, she would be left without a husband, her children without a father. There was no way that anyone could call that justice, no way. Kirsty was under no illusions about Kane, she knew he wasn't an angel, far from it, but she loved him for who he was and she knew that wasn't a rapist or a robber. He was her husband, he was the man she loved and all she asked of the court was to let him be just that.

Dani, on the other hand, knew what the verdict should be. Well, should be in the sense of right and wrong. In the sense of justice, a huge part of her believed that Kane should go to jail. It seemed only fair. Then, however, she thought of Scott Phillips. He'd not only gotten away with rape but he was proud of the fact that he was pinning it on his brother. Dani knew that this was not fair and so she had a huge dilemma on her hands. If she had her way, both Scott and Kane would go down for rape because they were both guilty of the heinous crime but she knew that only one of them would, and that choice lay with her.

***

"I thought they jury would be back by now."

Tasha was nervously pacing up and down the room, fidgeting, her breathing quickening. It had been almost three hours now since Kirsty had called to say that the jury were considering their verdict.

"Maybe it's a good thing that they're taking their time."

"No.. they should have made their decision in minutes, it's obvious that he's not guilty."

Robbie sighed as Tasha yet again failed to acknowledge that this case could go either way. It wasn't by any means clear cut but Tasha just couldn't, or wouldn't, accept this.

"Tash.."

"Look, I know what you're going to say Robbie but just go with me on this, ok? If I don't have hope then what's the point?"

He knew it would be easier just to agree with her. If not, it could end up in another one of their infamous arguments, that, he didn't want.

***

Rhys was trying to keep himself busy whilst waiting for the verdict but, every two minutes, Beth witnessed him checking and double checking his phone incase, for some unknown reason, he might not have heard the ringtone go off.

"Rhys, will you just sit down please?"

He gave in to his wife and sat beside her at the dining table. For years he had waited and waited for Kane Phillips to get his comeuppance and now that it was so close, it had never felt so far away.

There was no doubt in his mind what he wanted to happen, even if it meant that Kirsty would get hurt. She would get over it, she'd have to.

"It's taking so long."

"Well wouldn't you rather that the jury took their time over it rather than make a rash decision?"

"I suppose. You know I remember this last time round, when we were waiting to hear if Kane would go down for raping Dani. That was the worst time of my life, Beth.. I don't want this to be the same."

Beth studied her husband as he opened up to her, something that he had declined to do throughout the whole courtcase. Rhys was never one for sharing his feelings, he hadn't been brought up that way. Where he'd grown up, men were men, they didn't cry or get emotional. These past few months had severely tested him, however.

"Rhys, you just have to prepare yourself for either verdict because you know as well as I do that neither one is a dead cert."

"I know."

***

Finally, after what seemed like hours, court began again. As Kane was led up into the docks, he found himself shaking, shaking with fear. Never in his life had he ever felt this frightened. This time, he actually believed that he could go to jail and he also had so much more to lose. Before, there'd just been him and he'd been so confident, he knew there was no way he would go down.

As the rest of the court assembled, so did the jury. The chief juror stood up and announced that they had come to a decision.

Jessie gripped onto her mother's hand and squeezed her eyes tight shut, praying for her desired verdict. She kept telling herself over and over that justice would prevail but then Dani's words would flood her head and she lost all hope for a moment or two.

"Do you find the defendant, Kane Phillips, guilty or not guilty?"

Everyone in the courtroom collectively held their breaths, waiting.

Dani looked around the courtroom and then she saw him. Scott. He was here. He was trying to keep a low profile, stop himself from being noticed but she could see him clearly. There was a disgusting, smug look on his face that made Dani want to be sick.

And then it came. As if out of nowhere. An overwhelming urge to do the right thing.

"No! Wait!"

Everyone turned to face her and only then did she think about what she was doing.

"Order! ORDER IN THE COURT!"

"No.. please.. you have to wait.. it's not true, it's not right."

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

"It wasn't him, he didn't do it. It was his brother, Scott Phillips."

***

[Ashirr-Leigh]

I'm glad that people didn't have Dani written off as a complete bitch because I was getting that impression.. and that's so not the way I had intended it! Anyway, the ideas for this next chapter just sort of.. came to me.. today and I thought I should post them before I forget!

Oh and.. I should say.. I have no idea what would actually happen if someone was to do what Dani did in court so this is just my interpretation! Lol! I know it's probably not very realistic but hell.. when are fanfics ever realistic??

The court had been adjourned as soon as Dani had shouted out in court. The jury were sent to a private room while both lawyers heard what she had to say, and Scott was detained by the police.

Once Kane had corroborated her story by telling the police that he had, in fact, gone to meet Scott but he hadn't shown, they started to take Dani's admissions more seriously. Everything fitted into to place and so, after a few technicalities, Kane was released until further inquiries could be made.

***

Back home, everyone had gathered at the caravan park, including Kirsty and Kane. They couldn't keep their eyes - or their hands - off each other after so long spent apart.

"I knew you weren't guilty, Kane, I believed you the whole time."

"I know."

They kissed for the first time in weeks, much to the distaste of Rhys, who grunted in disapproval.

"Look, dad, we only came here to thank Dani."

At the mention of her name, Dani turned to face them but the sight of her sister and Kane made her feel sick. Their hands were entwined, their bodies pulled close together, their faces bright with happiness.

Although doing what she had done in court had made her, to a certain extent, feel good about herself, seeing Kane like this didn't. Kirsty's happiness was vitally important to Dani but when it came through Kane Phillps, it was hard to enjoy it with her.

"Dan, I don't know what I would have done if Kane had been sent down. I don't know how I can thank you."

"Don't."

Kirsty pulled her sister into a massive hug before kissing her cheek and again thanking her.

"Kirst, I think Dani needs a bit of space right now."

Dani turned her attentions to Kane as he spoke, wondering how he could ever know what she needed.

"No, it's fine. It's you I want to talk to, Kane."

"What?"

Rhys, Beth and Scott looked worryingly at each other, bemused at what was going on. Dani wanted to speak to Kane? Why?

"Just the two of us. We need to talk."

"If you're sure.."

***

Baby Simona laughed and giggled as she watched her mum excitedly jump and dance around the room. Although she was only a child, she could pick up on her parents' moods, especially when it was this obvious!

"Tash? What's going on?"

Robbie had been out at work all day and had expected that Tasha would still be sat by the phone, waiting for the jury's verdict. What he had been welcomed by, however, was very far from this.

"He got out, Robbie!! Kane got out!!"

Before Robbie could acknowledge what his wife had said, she had pulled his arms and he was now, involuntarily, dancing around the room with her!

"It wasn't him, it was his brother and now Kane's home and everything is good again!"

Although Robbie wasn't too sure of Kane, he allowed himself to laugh and be happy with Tasha and Simona. His family unit was safe and together again now that this trial was over, that could only be a good thing.

***

"Dan, no! I'm not leaving you alone with him!"

As Dani walked towards her father, she felt her legs begin to shake as she contemplated what was about to happen. She would be alone with Kane for the first time since he'd raped her. It had to happen though. It was the only way that they could properly talk without people fussing over her or telling her what to do.

"This is my decision, dad, please, respect it."

Beth lay her hand on Rhys' shoulder.

"Rhys, let her do what she wants to do. She can call us if she needs us."

"Are you sure about this, Dani?"

"I'm as sure as I'll ever be."

***

Jessie hadn't muttered a word since the goings on in court. She didn't know what to say, or even what to think.

"Jess, sweetheart, are you alright?"

She slowly nodded her head but continued to stare at the blank wall, hoping that, somehow, she would be able to make sense of everything.

"At least he's locked up now."

"But.."

Felicity moved closer to her daughter, waiting for her to open up.

"But what, honey?"

"But he was there the whole time and I didn't even know. He was watching me and.. and he was laughing at me, mum.."

"Oh, Jess, he's an evil, wicked man and he doesn't deserve your tears."

Jessie knew her mother was right but it didn't stop the tears from falling, her biggest fear was that nothing would. How could she have gotten it so wrong? She'd just so much wanted someone to pay for what had happened to her that when Kane had been offered to her as a suspect, she'd fully accepted it.

***

"Dani, I.."

"Don't talk."

"But I.."

"DON'T TALK!"

Kane did as Dani told him and just simply watched her as she closed her eyes and gripped the table that she was sitting on even tighter. He didn't know what she was doing and was so tempted to ask but then he didn't want to interrupt her, it was obviously important to her.

What Dani was really doing was trying to clear her head. Whenever she was around Kane, she would become bogged down by thoughts of him and what had happened between them. She could always tell when he was around because his presence was forever imprinted in her brain.

"Dani, are you ok?"

"I said don't talk!"

"Look, I don't know what you want, Dani, but I can't help you if you don't let me!"

Slowly she opened her eyes and allowed herself to look at Kane and take in his facial expression. He looked genuinely concerned for her.

"I just want to thank you."

"Well don't because I didn't do it for you."

"That's fair enough but because of what you did, I can now spend the night with Kirsty."

"Don't make me sick."

Kane hadn't expected this kind of reaction from Dani. Sure, he hadn't expected her to be over the moon or anything but not this.

"I wasn't going to do it. Hell, I didn't want to. If I had my way, you'd both be in jail because you're both disgusting rapists."

He looked down at his feet as she spat the word out at him, unable to look her in the eye. She had been the one major downfall in his life that had stopped him living the rest of it how he'd truly wanted to. Yes, he had Kirsty and Aiden but there were always the reminders of what he had been wherever he turned.

"But then I saw him. And you know what he was doing? He was smiling, Kane. He had this stupid, smug little smile on his face because he believed that he'd gotten away with it. So that's why I did it. Because I couldn't bear to let another rapist go free, Jessie deserved better than that."

"So did you."

Dani's breathing became heavier as she took in what he had just said.

"Shut up."

She pulled herself off the table and paced around the room, avoiding Kane. Flynn had once taught her to do this when things got too much. He told her it would help control her breathing and allow her to think calmly again and, surprising, it worked.

"I wanted to let you go to jail today, Kane, and that's what scared me."

"What do you mean?"

"That's what you've done to me. I was ready and willing to let an innocent man go to jail. If Scott hadn't been in that court room, you could have been in a cell right now. And I would never have told anyone."

Her honesty surprised him. Only once before had he seen Dani bear the truth like this to him and it had been before the attack. 9 years ago.

"I probably would have deserved it."

"Probably? Kane, don't you understand what you've done? It might be 9 years ago to you but it's still like yesterday to me, that will never go away."

"I know."

"No! No you don't know! I hate it when people say they know because they never do. No one ever does."

Dani began frantically pulling on the end of her t-shirt, desperately trying to find a way to vent her anger. This wasn't what she had wanted, she'd only wanted to talk to him, to try and sort something out.

"Ok, ok.. I'm sorry. I'll never know exactly what I did to you but I am sorry for it, I really am."

"Sorry just doesn't cut it anymore, Kane."

"I don't know what else I can do."

"There's nothing else you can do. You've done it all before, said it all before.. but it's made no difference. I though time was meant to heal things like this? Well, whoever said that was a liar. Just like you."

"I'm not lying to you, Dani, I am sorry, truly sorry."

The sincerity in his voice touched her and she softened, but only slightly.

"I really thought you'd done it."

"What?"

"Jessie. I believed that you'd raped her."

"I think probably everyone had their doubts."

"I'll never feel safe around you, Kane, never."

"I don't expect you to."

"A huge part of me wishes that you were in jail."

Kane wasn't shocked by this, it would be naive of him if he was. Of course Dani would want him to be in jail, it was only natural.

"I can understand that. If someone had raped Kirst, I'd want them to rot in prison."

"I always though you would."

"What? Rape Kirsty?"

Dani sheepishly nodded her head, feeling foolish for being so paranoid.

"Aw come on, you know I'd never hurt her."

"Deep down, yeah.. but then I never thought you'd hurt me either. I used to think that maybe you were.. maybe you were raping her and she was too frightened to say. I used to think that maybe you'd raped someone else. I used to think.. well, I used to think alot of things."

"That's just torturing yourself, Dani."

She looked him in the eye, knowing that he was speaking the truth. She couldn't hold his gaze for too long though because her mind would send her elsewhere to a place where she didn't want to be.

"You're probably right but I don't think straight when it comes to you."

"I wasn't thinking straight all those years ago."

"No, stop it."

"What?"

"Stop with your stupid excuses, I don't want to hear it."

"It's not an excuse, it's a reason."

"They're the same."

"No they're not. An excuse would be trying to justify what happened, a reason is just telling you why."

There was alot of sense in his words but it was still hard to accept. Everything about him was and always would be.

"Guys don't just go out and rape people because they're not thinking straight."

"I know. That's just one of the reasons. Another was that I thought I could do what I wanted. I wanted to have sex with you.. and it didn't matter to me whether or not you wanted to do it. I assumed that you would because I was Kane Phillips - bad boy. I was wrong, I know that."

Dani couldn't stop herself from crying as Kane spoke to her. She'd never heard this from him before. In the past, he'd always said that her clothes, her attitude, her flirting had given him the wrong idea but now he was speaking the truth to her, she knew that.

"I'll never deny that I flirted with you, Kane, because I did.. but that didn't mean that I wanted you."

"I know. You were vulnerable and I took advantage of you. I forced you into having sex with me and that was wrong, it was sick. I just couldn't see that at the time. You know, whenever I think about that day, I always remember a conversation we had about a week before it. It was a real deep and meaningful, do you remember?"

She nodded, of course she could remember. She'd poured her heart out to him about Will and how they were fighting and he'd talked to her about his parents.

"It was really special. Then, I thought we really could have been something. But now look how it's turned out! I'm with Kirsty, you're with.. well, I take it you're with Scott, right?"

For the first time that day, a smile spread across Dani's face. She had Scott and she knew that, no matter what, he would always be by her side.

"Yeah, we were stupid to split up all those years ago."

"What about Ethan?"

If someone had been looking in on the conversation, they would never have guessed that Dani and Kane were supposedly enemies.

"We're finished."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not, not anymore."

"What happened?"

That's when Dani became angry at Kane once more. He had played a part in the break up of her marriage.

"He cheated on me with my best friend."

"Damn, that's harsh."

"You want to know why he cheated, Kane?"

"I.."

"He said I'd been distant. He wasn't getting anything from me so he moved on to the next available candidate, that kind of thing."

"I'm really sorry."

"Yeah? Well this time you should be."

"What?"

"You know why I'd been distant? You. I couldn't get you out of my mind. It just.. happens.. sometimes and I can't stop it. Once you get in there, I lose all the power. Whenever Ethan touched me I would back away because I couldn't stand to feel anyone on me. That's you, that's all you, Kane. So, I suppose in that respect, I had been neglecting him a bit."

"Dani, I would take it back if I could, you know that, don't you?"

"What good is that to me now?"

"I don't know."

"I'll tell you, will I? No good. No good at all."

Both Dani and Kane had felt that they were really getting somewhere but now, the past had gotten in the way again. They were both determined to sort something out but, with feelings so high and emotions so raw, it didn't look like anything would happen anytime soon.

***

[Ashirr-Leigh]

Alright, it's been a while, a long while (so long that I had to change the bars at the bottom to the last 60 days to find it! ) but - finally - I'm updating.. for anyone who's still reading!

Thanks for the reviews, hope they keep coming!

"Kirsty! Oh my god, Kirsty! I'm so happy!!"

In a typically exaggerative style, Tasha passed her daughter to her husband and ran towards Kirsty with her arms outstretched. Had it been on television, she would have appeared like one of the Baywatch babes, running - in slow motion - looking utterly amazing, as Tasha always did.

"Woah, woah, calm down, Tash!"

Kirsty attempted to pull away from the hug that was gripping her but Tasha wouldn't let go. Her long arms were wrapped around her body, squeezing her tight as the excitement took over her.

"I can't believe it was Scott, I didn't even know he was around anymore! Imagine him doing that to that poor girl and then trying to blame it on Kane, you couldn't make it up.."

Robbie finally approached and put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down and alert her to the fact that she was rambling, as she always did when she was excited.

***

They'd been sat in silence for many minutes now, Dani being too wrapped up in her thoughts to speak and Kane frightened to incase he made things worse.

He looked over to the other side of the room at Dani and found himself at a loss of what to do. He could keep on apologising time and time again but his experience over the years told him that it wasn't working. She knew now that he was sorry but it wasn't enough. He'd done the counselling with her and, although he had though it was successful, it appeared that it, too, had failed.

"Dani, I don't know what to do anymore."

Perhaps voicing his thoughts would help and they'd be able to come up with something together.

"Neither do I."

Again, they were thrust into silence. Silence was something that Kane had grown up to hate. In his home, there was usually always noise. Not the good kind of noise, but noise all the same. He and his brother had thought that kind of noise was normal. It didn't frighten him because he was used to hearing his mum scream and his dad swear, it was second nature to him. No, it was the silence that always frightened him. That meant that his mum had given up, she couldn't take anymore. Normally, when there was silence, his dad had passed out from the drink and his mum had passed out from the beatings.

"We can't keep going on like this."

"I know! I know, ok? I just don't know what to do, Kane. I just don't know. I can't help the way I feel. If I could make it go away, I would, but I can't."

"I don't blame you, it's just that.. the time I spent in prison, I had ages to think about things. Our situation was high on the list and we have to do something about it."

***

"Tashie!!"

Aiden mimicked the actions of Tasha from earlier and ran towards her with open arms. Unfortunately, he only reached her thighs and his little arms couldn't stretch all the way round!

"Hey there, little man! I bet you're happy to have your daddy back?"

"I can't see him yet, Tashie, mummy says he has to do grown up stuff."

Tasha glanced immediately over at Kirsty and walked over to her as Aiden spotted Simona just behind him.

"What's going on? What grown up stuff?"

"Kane and Dani are talking."

"Alone?"

Kirsty nodded and they both shared the same worried expression as they instinctively turned their heads towards the caravan park house, where the two people in question were.

"Is that such a good idea?"

"I don't know, it was Dani's though.. so.."

***

The ticking of the clock seemed to get increasingly louder as Kane and Dani sat racking their brains. Everything they had tried so far had failed. What wouldn't?

"Maybe we just need to stay out of each other's way."

"How is that going to work? Kirsty's my sister, Aiden's my nephew, you're.. you're my brother in law."

As if responding to the mention of his name, Aiden came bounding into the room, disturbing the silence that had once again resumed. The adults had been so preoccupied with worrying and doing grown up stuff that they hadn't noticed when he'd sneaked past them and into the house, in search of his dad.

"Daddy!!"

Both Dani and Kane were startled to see Aiden but Kane couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face.

He picked his little boy up and held him tight, something he'd been wanting to do for ages.

In the background, Dani's face lit up too, happy to see Aiden so delighted. She also felt contented knowing that she had played a part in bringing them back together.

"Mummy said you were doing grown up stuff but you're only here with auntie Dani and if she gets to see you then I think I should get to see you too, daddy, because you've been away a long time and I missed you, daddy."

Aiden had inherited the ability to babble from his mum and chose to show off this ability whenever, like Tasha, he was happy and excited.

"I missed you too, son, I missed you lots."

"Where was you, daddy? Mummy just said that you were away working but where, daddy? It was far away, wasn't it, daddy? I said New Zealand to mummy because that's far, isn't it? That's ages away, is that why you were gone so long? Cause you were so far away, daddy?"

Dani couldn't help but laugh. Aiden was so cute and naive, like all boys his age should be.

"Yeah, yeah, that's why."

Only then did Scott and Kirsty come running into the room, having realised where Aiden must have been.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realise he'd gotten away, I'll take him out of here, I'll.."

"No, leave him, Kirst, it's ok."

Scott protectively put his arm around Dani as she spoke to her sister.

"We're pretty much done here."

"We are?"

"Yeah. Scott and I were talking about this before and I've come to a decision now. We're going to live in the city. All my stuff is there and I need to sort things out with Ethan, plus, it's where Louisea goes to nursery and everything.. it'll be for the best."

"Look, Dani, you don't have to just because of me, we can work out something.."

"This is the best way, Kane. I'll still get to see everyone and everything."

Aiden pulled on the bottom of Dani's t-shirt, desperately seeking her attention.

"Are you going away, auntie Dani? Where are you going?"

"We're going to go back to the city and live, Aiden, but you can come visit all the time, ok?"

"To the city? Yeah! Is that where you were, daddy? In the city? Is that further away than New Zealand? Because if it is, it would have taken you aaaages to get back because New Zealand is real far away!"

Everyone collectively laughed at Aiden and, for the first time in a long time, everyone felt quietly contented. Everything wasn't perfect but it was on it's way there.

***

Later that night, a small party had been organised for Kane to celebrate his release from prison and it was also serving as a farewell party for Dani, Scott and little Louisea.

The police had been round and informed Kane that his father had also been in on the robbery, perhaps providing a getaway vehicle for Scott, and was now being questioned at the station. As for a motive, it appeared that Kane's brother and dad had sought revenge on him because he had been a key witness in a trial 15 years previously which had sent Richie Phillips to jail for the murder of his wife, Kane's mum.

As baffling as all this information had been, it served as a sort of closure for Kane. It was almost certain that Scott, and possibly Richie, would be charged with the rape and robbery so Kane was well and truly off the hook.

A faint knock on the door went unnoticed as the chatter took over the room and only when it persisted did Kane notice it. He got up and opened the door, not expecting to see who he did.

Jessie.

"Oh.. emm.."

Jessie, too, was startled. She knew that Kane wasn't the one who had raped her but it had been imprinted in her brain for so long now, it would take a while to disassociate him with it.

Before either of them had to say anything, Dani appeared behind Kane and said nothing, choosing instead to hug Jessie.

"Come in."

Cautiously, Jessie entered the house, all too aware of the many pairs of eyes centred on her.

"I just had to come and say that I'm sorry."

Her voice was shaky, as were her hands, but this was something that she had had to do, despite her mother's reservations. She turned herself so that she directly faced Kane.

"I was wrong about you. I'm so sorry for what I put you through."

"The evidence pointed towards me, of course you were going to believe what the police were telling you."

"Even still.. I should have known."

"It's ok, honestly. It's all sorted now. I'm just sorry for my brother."

Jessie froze up and halted a little as she remembered the image of Scott in court as he was pointed out by Dani. His eyes, she would never forget his eyes.

Seeing this, Dani suggested that the two of them go outside for some quiet time.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't say anything sooner about Scott.. I just.. I was just so wrapped up in Kane and my own problems."

"At least the truth is out now. Dani, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Does it get easier? Dealing with this?"

"I.. I don't want to lie to you, Jessie. It's hard, it always will be.. and you'll never be the Jessie you were before, she's gone now."

"You'll help me though, won't you?"

"Of course I will, we'll help each other."

They smiled at each other just as Kirsty and Kane did the same inside the house. Everything had turned out as it should. Kane was free from prison to be with Kirsty and Aiden and they were now looking forward to the birth of their new baby.

Dani and Scott were going to start a new life together in the city with Louisea, the demons of their past relationships finally put to rest.

Jessie was slowly but surely rebuilding her life and, most importantly, justice was being done.

**THE END**

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