Angel Baby - Rafe Cameron x Kook!reader P12
pairing: Best Friend!Rafe Cameron x Kook!Best-Friend!reader
summary: Rafe and Reader have known each other since kindergarten, always side by side, the king and princess of Figure 8. So why now does he start feeling different towards her, when all she's ever been is his best friend?
a/n: I lowkey hate this ngl but Anyways!!!! The big day of the court hearing has finally arrived and I can't help but stir the pot. Also I'm imagining Hale as a total girl boss (if you get my vision). Baby Rafe and Y/n are so cute I'm dying. Sorry for taking so long with this chapter I'm a little in a writing stump but I'm getting there :)
warnings: references to s/a and non-con, emotional turmoil, inaccurate court proceedings (don't kill me im just a girl with a dream), Cooper (he deserves a warning), mentions of intoxication and alcohol.
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Y/N sat near the tall window, staring out at the sky, now a deep orange, the rising sun peeking over the waters surrounding the Cameron’s dock. Her fingers anxiously worked at the buttons on the white material of her Chanel blazer. The polished luxury of it didn’t match how she felt- exposed. The world outside was still, but inside the office, the pressure pressed down on her chest. Across the room, Rafe adjusted the cuffs of his shirt for the third time, pulling at the stiff collar of his tailored suit. His tie was perfectly knotted, yet he kept tugging at it, like it was choking him. He didn’t speak, but his restless energy filled the space.
Their lawyer, Charlotte Hale, stood near the fireplace, flipping through a stack of papers in a leather folder. She was a powerhouse- a well-known defense attorney with a reputation for being ruthless in the courtroom. Years of high-profile cases in North Carolina had made her reputation the best in the state- Ward had pulled strings to get her on this case, knowing they needed someone unshakable in court, relentless with opposition. She shut the folder with a soft snap and looked up at the two teens in front of her.
“Alright. We’ve been over this.” Her voice was smooth but firm. “Rafe, you stay focused. No outbursts, no attitude. You explain why you did what you did and let me handle the rest. Y/N, they’re going to come at you and try to make you doubt yourself or twist your words. Don’t let them do that.”
Rafe rubbed the back of his neck as he let out a breath, “Yeah. Yeah, I know.”
Y/N nodded slowly, but her stomach twisted. Hale's eyes narrowed slightly, reading the tension between them.
“The prosecution’s going to lean on Cooper’s clean record. I know this isn’t easy, but remember, we’re prepared. You’re telling the truth, and the evidence supports you.”
But will they believe it?
The room felt heavier as Hale checked her watch. “I’m going to head out and make sure the car’s ready. I’ll meet you both outside.”
Her heels clicked against the floor as she left, leaving a thick silence in her wake. Y/N shifted, smoothing her skirt down for the seventh time in the past hour. She stared down at her hands, picking at a loose thread on her blazer. Rafe finally moved, walking over to stand beside her.
She barely turned to look at him.
“You good?” His voice was lower now, softer and her breath caught for a second.
Rafe hesitated before reaching out, his hand brushing lightly against her arm.
It was small, barely noticeable, but he felt it. His hand froze, and his expression tightened, pulling back slightly. He felt guilty everytime he touched her, forgetting about her reaction, he never seemed to remember that things between them still weren’t completely the same as they used to be.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, voice rough.
Y/N swallowed hard. “No, it’s… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”
“It’s okay.” Rafe’s tone was careful now, more guarded.
Y/N stared down at her hands, fingers tangled in the loose thread of her blazer. Her chest felt tight, every breath shallow and uneven, Rafe shifted beside her, his movements uncertain.
“Jesus, Rafe…” her voice cracked, barely holding together. “I’m so scared.”
Rafe’s breath caught in his throat. Without thinking, he crouched down in front of her, lowering himself to her level. His suit creased as he balanced on the balls of his feet, close but not too close. Carefully, he placed a hand on her knee- a gentle, grounding touch. Y/N looked at the boy's hand, and after a moment, she laid her own over his, her grip tight.
Rafe didn’t move but heart tightened, seeing the fear etched on her face, even if she denied it. He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them, but he didn’t want her to feel like she was facing it alone. He moved a little closer, keeping his voice calm, but strong.
“It’s okay, yeah? I’m gonna be sitting right next to you the whole time you’re not going to be alone in there.”
Her breath was shaky, but she looked at him, trying to hold herself together. “What if… what if I can’t handle it?” she whispered, her gaze falling to her lap. Rafe’s hand tightened slightly on hers, not enough to hurt but enough to let her know he was there,
“If it gets too much, you just tell me,” he said, his voice steady.
“We’ll step out. We can take a break, catch our breath. Whatever you need, I’ll be right there.”
She looked up at him, a mixture of uncertainty in her eyes. For a moment, neither of them said anything. He could see she was battling with herself- wanting to stay strong but feeling everything inside her unravel.
“I don’t want you to feel like you have to go through this by yourself,” he added softly, his words lingering between them,
“We’re doing this together right?”
“So that means we’ll deal with whatever the outcome is together okay”
Y/N nodded, her throat tight, and though she didn’t have words to respond, the quiet understanding passed between them. Rafe’s hand on hers was the only thing that felt certain at that moment. Rafe stood in front of her, hand outstretched.
He said, his smile light, Y/N’s hand hovered above his for a split second, before she paused, without a word she pulled her hand back, standing up on her own, and walking past him toward the door of the office. Her movements were stiff, and Rafe couldn’t help but notice the way her shoulders were pulled tight, the way she avoided looking at him. He followed her closely, catching up just as she stopped at the door way.
He asked, his brows drawn down slightly in confusion. She didn’t answer immediately, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her jacket. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Can you stop calling me that? ...Please?”
Rafe blinked, caught off guard his tone called out perplexed, “What do you mean? It’s just a nickname, I’ve called you that since we were kids.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The late afternoon sun dipped low over the Outer Banks, casting a soft golden haze across the sprawling Cameron estate, the chatter of adults spilled across the vast yard, the clinking of glasses and laughter occasionally arising. Rafe leaned against the brick wall, half-crushed juice box dangled from his fingers, the sticky liquid dripping onto his polo shirt. His hair was slightly messy from running with the other kids, though now he stood still, watching.
Across the yard, tucked beneath the towering oak tree, Y/N sat alone in the grass. Her pale pink sundress was wrinkled from sitting too long, and a small silver tiara, pink gems embedded in the metal, was tilted awkwardly on her head. She threaded tiny wildflowers into a lopsided flower crown in her hands, lips pressed together in quiet determination, a small frown on her face.
Not far off, a group of slightly older girls huddled together, casting smug glances her way. One of them snickered loud enough to be heard, “She’s such a baby.” They broke into giggles, as they looked at the girl sitting on the floor, flipping their pigtails over their shoulders as they sauntered off toward the pool.
At that moment he decided he didn’t like those girls. Shoving his hands deep into his pockets he stalked across the lawn toward Y/N, his trainers crunched over the dry grass, but she didn’t look up.
“What are you doing?” he asked, voice flat but curious.
Y/N barely spared him a glance. “Making a crown.”
Rafe tilted his head. “Why?”
She let out a soft, frustrated sigh. “They said I can’t be a princess. But I can if I want to.”
Her voice wavered just a little, but there was stubbornness in it too, the frown on her brow not easing. Rafe stared at her for a beat, then suddenly reached down and snatched the tiara off her head. She gasped, scrambling to her feet.
She attempted to grab it from him but he turned away, causing the girl to let out a huff and roll her eyes, stomping back to her spot under the tree plopping down onto the floor. However, instead of throwing it or making fun of her like she expected, Rafe carefully inspected the crooked tiara, looking at the little pink crystals on it, noticing the way it matched the pearly nailpolish on the girl's fingers, which were back to braiding the flowers together. With seriousness, he leaned down and placed it back on her head- straighter this time.
“You’re the princess of Figure Eight, they’re just jealous.”
He said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, Y/N looked up to the boy skeptically,
Rafe shrugged, glancing over his shoulder toward where the other girls had gone, now sitting by the pool dipping their toes into the water, he grimaced as they giggled annoyingly.
“Yup. So…do you need a knight?”
Her eyes lit up, a smile creeping onto her face. “Are you saying you’re my knight?”
Rafe wrinkled his nose. “No! Gross. I’m just saying… if they mess with you, I’ll throw mud at them or something.”
Y/N giggled, the sound light and free.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Cooper… he called me that when it happened.”
Y/N turned to face him then, her gaze downcast, the words heavy on her lips, and it was like a punch to the boy’s gut, he hadn’t known. Rafe froze, guilt washing over him.
He reached out, but he didn’t touch her, not wanting to overwhelm her. Y/N didn’t respond at first, her eyes still focused on the ground. Rafe let out a long breath and nodded slowly.
“I won’t call you that again- if uh, that's what you want.”
There was a long silence between them, and Y/N finally lifted her eyes to meet his. She nodded slightly, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. Rafe, not wanting to leave the conversation hanging awkwardly, cracked a small smile.
“Well, if I’m not callin’ you ‘princess,’ I’ll have to find something else to call you, huh?”
His tone was teasing, trying to break the tension. They began walking down the stairs, and Y/N’s fingers brushed against his as she moved down the steps, a small smile on her face as she walked alongside the boy, sending him a nod of agreement. They stood just outside the front doors of Tannyhill, the faint hum of the conversation behind them blending with the low murmur of water in the distance. Two cars were parked on the driveway ahead: their parents were deep in discussion with the lawyer.
Y/N’s eyes flickered between the cars, her fingers brushing over the hem of her blazer straightening it out as she pulled her matching white skirt down slightly. Rafe, standing close beside her, kept his hands by his side, yet he couldn't scratch the itch of wanting to take the girl's hand into his own, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her side. From behind them, a voice broke the silence drawing the boy from his daydream;
She turned, startled, Rafe glanced over his shoulder as well, his expression softening ever so slightly when he saw who it was. Wheezie, her dark hair bouncing around her shoulders, jogged toward them. She was holding a small bouquet of wildflowers, clumsily arranged but bright and cheerful nonetheless. She had been persistent on wanting to come to the courthouse with them but Ward refused her presence, the girl had been in a strop ever since, neither of them had seen her much since then. Wheezie came to a stop in front of Y/N. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug.
“Good luck today. You’ve got this.”
Y/N blinked, momentarily surprised, before she returned the hug with a small smile. “Thanks, Wheeze.”
She pulled back and looked up at her brother. “You too, Rafe don’t mess up”
Rafe scoffed lightly but ruffled her hair. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Wheezie grinned before handing the wildflowers to the older girl. “These are for you. I picked them from the back garden because dad didn’t let me leave the house this morning. I thought you might like them- um well they’re not the best”
Y/N’s heart swelled as she accepted the bouquet. Some of the small daisies sagged from their bent stems, drooping slightly from Wheezie’s strong grip, but Y/N adored the thoughtful gesture.
“They’re perfect,” she said softly, her fingers brushing over the delicate petals.
Rafe watched her quietly, his eyes lingered on the fragile bouquet in Y/N’s hands. Something about the way she held them- careful and soft- stirred something deep in his chest. His mother would often stand barefoot in the garden, snipping wildflowers and humming to herself, weaving them together, leaving little glass jars of blooms around the house, the house always filled with the scent of flowers; roses, daisies, whatever she could find.
He swallowed hard, blinking the image away.
He muttered, as he took a few steps away from the front doors, heading toward the cars waiting in the driveway, he paused, turning slightly over his shoulder.
“Let’s get this over with,” he said, his voice softer this time. Y/N lingered for a moment, leaning down slightly to press a gentle kiss to Wheezie’s forehead.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice full of warmth. Wheezie’s face lit up with a bright smile. “You’ll be fine don’t worry.”
Y/N’s lips curved into a small, grateful smile, squeezing the wilted bouquet a little tighter as she made her way down the steps of the patio. Walking up to the boy she pauses as the sound of the girls voice calls out again;
“You’ve got something hanging out of your pocket!”
Wheezie piped up, eyes narrowing, Y/N paused, brows furrowed in confusion. She reached into the side of her blazer and felt the small, cool chain between her fingers.
She looked down to her hand as she pulled out the delicate gold necklace Rafe had given her long before things between them had spiraled. The dainty heart pendant swung gently at the end of the chain, catching the light from the sun. She turned to Rafe, holding it out between them as she asked softly,
“Will you put it on for me?”
Rafe blinked, caught off guard. His eyes flicked from the necklace to her face, trying to mask his surprise. A slow, almost shy smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he took the necklace from her hand.
“Of course angel,” he murmured, stepping behind her.
The nickname made her still for a moment.
She asked quietly, her breath catching slightly as the words passed her lips. Rafe’s fingers worked the clasp with practiced ease, the gold coo against her skin. He hummed in response, the sound low and sure.
“You’re my angel baby now”
Y/N’s hand instinctively rose to the pendant now resting against her skin, she turned slowly to face him, her fingers curling over the small heart as her eyes met his,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The white stone walls of the Kildare County Courthouse stood strongly, peering down at the commotion below. Both Kooks and Pogues mingled, a rare sight under normal circumstances, but today wasn’t normal considering the result of the most anticipated case the island was expecting was bound to be decided on today. Y/N stepped out of the car, the chatter washing over her like a wave, people turned to look as she approached the courthouse doors, already propped open with the steady flow of people filtering inside, others standing on their tiptoes to try and sight an empty seat inside. Some faces lit up with small, encouraging smiles as she walked past them towards the daunting . A few quiet, supportive voices broke through the crowd as she passed "Good luck, Y/N” or "You got this." arose from the chatter, she responded with a silent nod or small smile.
But not all eyes were kind.
A few stares lingered too long, their eyes sharp with judgment. Subtle whispers rippled between tight-knit groups as she caught glimpses of people leaning into each other, murmuring things she couldn’t hear- and maybe didn’t want to. Despite the weight of their eyes, Y/N kept her chin high, shoulders squared. She refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her falter.
Rafe walked steadily beside her now, having caught up with the girl, his expression unreadable though his presence alone grounded her. Every now and then, his hand would brush lightly against hers in silent reassurance as they ascended the stone steps, to the open courthouse doors ahead, already littered with people, which Rafe had to push by to get through, grumbling under his breath.
Get out of the way Jesus-
Every conversation bouncing off the walls, rows of people filled the benches, the divide between the two sides glaringly obvious. At the front, Topper, Kelce, Sarah, and John B sat close together, talking in hushed tones. Sarah's head snapped up first, her face softening when she saw Y/N.
"Y/N," Sarah was on her feet in an instant, pulling her into a tight hug, "are you okay?" her voice was barely above a whisper, concern heavy in every word. Y/N nodded, though it wasn’t entirely convincing.
"...let’s get this over with"
Rafe cut in smoothly, his tone firm, finishing her sentence for her, Y/N gave a small nod in agreement, offering Sarah a tight smile before pulling back.
Behind them, leaning casually against the wall, JJ, Kiara, and Pope watched the scene unfold. JJ’s jaw was tense, his arms crossed as his eyes flicked between the groups. Kiara muttered something under her breath, earning a quiet chuckle from Pope as he shook his head. Their glares were sharp, aimed squarely at the people gathered across the aisle on the other side of the hall.
The tension in the room was palpable, like the quiet before a storm.
Y/N's eyes drifted across the courtroom, scanning the faces on Cooper's side. Most were familiar- other Kooks she vaguely recognized- but a small group of sharply dressed people caught her attention. Their stiff posture and cold expressions stood out among the others. Leaning in slightly toward the group, Y/N lowered her voice.
Topper followed her gaze, "They came down from New York, I heard. Family friends or something... probably here to make him look good."
Y/N’s jaw tightened as she muttered, her eyes narrowing for a moment before she pulled her focus back. Rafe glanced at her, catching the shift in her expression, but he didn’t say anything. The murmur of conversation in the courtroom seemed to fade, leaving an uneasy quiet in its wake. Y/N felt it first- but now her group had gone silent as well. The ambient noise around her dissipated, leaving a subtle tension hanging in the air. Confused, she glanced around. The teens in front of her had gone silent, their eyes were all trained on the door. A flicker of unease stirred in her stomach, and her gaze followed theirs as Cooper strolled in, his posture too relaxed for the gravity of the situation. His lawyer- sharp in a tailored suit- walked beside him, scanning the room with practiced detachment.
Y/N's eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, everything around them seemed to still.
Cooper’s steps were measured as he moved past, not rushing, knowing all eyes were on him, and as he neared her, he leaned closer just enough, his voice a quiet, deliberate hiss that only she could hear- but loud enough for the words to strike deep.
The insult sliced through the air, cold and sharp.
Y/N didn’t flinch. Her gaze remained steady, unwavering as she stared straight ahead. Her spine stayed stiff, her body unyielding, though her pulse quickened beneath the surface. Rafe’s head snapped in the direction of the boy’s movements, jaw clenching ferociously as he watched him walk by, Topper’s hand came out onto the boy's chest with a slight shake of his head, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
He says, his voice low, but firm, cutting through the tension. Y/n looks up at him, nodding as Rafe places a steadying hand on her back, a gesture that feels comforting during this period of uncertainty. His touch lingers just a moment longer than necessary, offering reassurance as they make their way down the row to their seats, as they move, the room seems to quiet down to a silence now all eyes turn toward them. People can’t help but watch the two who have been the center of the storm for weeks. Y/N holds her head up, though she feels every inch of their stares, the only thing that keeps her moving forward is Rafe’s presence beside her, strong and unwavering.
They reach the front of the courtroom, and Rafe pulls out a chair for Y/N before settling into his own seat beside her. His posture is stiff, his jaw tight with anticipation, but it’s clear he’s fully focused on Y/N. Hale stands at the front with the rest of the legal team, her gaze flicking between the opposing side and her clients, her steady presence adds an extra layer of security as they settle in. The moment they sit down, she turns toward them, giving a subtle nod of reassurance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rafe was called to the stand first, his movements smooth as he stood and took his place, his jaw set, his eyes steady. The room was silent as everyone waited for him to speak, watching as the Cameron boy walked behind the stand and sat down, he leant back in the chair as he watched Hale rise, her expression a mix of calculating and clinical as she addressed him.
“Mr. Cameron, can you walk us through what happened on the night in question? Start from when you noticed Ms Y/L/N was missing.”
Rafe’s voice was calm, controlled, though there was an undercurrent of intensity that wasn’t lost on anyone as he recited his memory of the events of the night. Hale nodded as she listened to the boy, her eyes looking over to the jury, where she noticed a few of them taking notes. She thanked Rafe as he finished his testimony and stepped to the side, Cooper’s lawyer standing and addressing him, eyes cold and calculating.
Cooper's lawyer, Dune, began pacing slightly as he spoke, “You’ve testified that you walked into the room and found Ms Y/L/N in distress, but let’s go back a bit. You said you were looking for her because she had gone missing. Is that correct?”
Rafe nodded, his voice steady. “Yes. I couldn’t find her anywhere, which I thought was weird so I had to check around the house to find her.”
“Tell me something Rafe,” he paused, “Why wasn’t Y/n with you in the first place?”
Rafe’s expression remained neutral, though there was a subtle tension in his jaw as he looked at the man, he knew exactly what he was doing, Hale had told him about his possible strategies, trying to rile him up so he would have an outburst in front of the jury and prove his ‘violent’ nature- he wasn’t going to let that happen, if not for his own sake then for Y/n’s.
“She came to the party with Cooper. We weren’t together that night, so I didn’t know where she was.”
Cooper’s lawyer nodded, a slight smirk on his face as he continued. “So, you’re telling this court that you were so concerned about Ms Y/L/N, yet you weren’t with her when you knew she was there, and that she was drunk? Is that what you’re claiming?”
Rafe didn’t flinch, his tone calm, “Yes. We weren’t exactly on speaking terms at the time, I didn’t know where she was until I asked around.”
A brief, look of knowing passed between Cooper and his lawyer as he pressed on, his voice becoming more pointed. Rafe played with the signet ring on his finger,
“And you weren’t speaking to her because you had a falling out,” The lawyer’s tone suggested he was about to unearth something damaging,
“A rather public falling out, if I’m not mistaken?”
Rafe’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he kept his composure. “Yes. We had a disagreement, but that doesn’t change what happened. I was still concerned when I couldn’t find her.”
The lawyer smirked, sensing an opening.
“Isn’t it true, Mr. Cameron, that you and Ms Y/L/N had a rather heated argument not long before that night? You called her- what was it… a ‘slut,’ if I recall correctly from what my client has told me?”
The room went still, the air thick with tension.
Rafe’s face remained expressionless, though the accusation hung in the air like a weight, he noticed the way Y/n tensed slightly in her chair next to Hale and he had to bite his tongue. However, that wasn’t what discomforted him the most, his eyes drifted behind the girl where her parents sat, and he could see the evident frown on her father’s face as he looked from his daughter to the boy. His eyes darted away quickly and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame wash over him. He cleared his throat slightly before continuing,
“That was a private matter,”
Rafe replied, his voice level, though there was a quiet firmness in his words. “It was a personal disagreement. It doesn’t change the fact that I was worried about her that night.”
Cooper’s lawyer pushed further, not letting up. “But surely that means you weren’t really that concerned, right? You couldn’t have been if you were still harboring such anger toward her, especially after you insulted her in such a way. Doesn’t that make your actions more about jealousy than concern for her well-being?”
Rafe’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t let the lawyer’s words rattle him even though he hadn't expected this line of questioning.
“I was concerned about her because she was in trouble,” Rafe said slowly. “The argument had nothing to do with what happened, it was two months before halloween.”
The lawyer wasn’t done yet.
“But it could have, couldn’t it? Perhaps you were angry that she was with someone else, and that’s why you broke down the door and attacked Mr. Miller. Maybe you were just trying to play the hero because you were jealous that she wasn’t with you.”
Rafe’s calm demeanor never wavered was he could feel the irritation crawling up the back of his neck,
“I didn’t break down the door because I was jealous, I broke it down because I knew something was wrong. When I heard Y/n crying and couldn’t get her to respond, I was seriously worried. I wasn’t thinking about anything else.”
The lawyer raised his voice a little, pushing harder now, evidently thrown off by the fact that Rafe hadn’t lashed out at him yet.
“Yet you didn’t even try to make sure the situation was under control. You didn’t stop to think- just barged in, without considering if you were making the situation worse.”
At this point, Hale stood up, her voice cutting through the uneasiness in the room.
“Objection, Your Honor,” she said, standing straight with a clear, authoritative tone. “This line of questioning is irrelevant to the case. The defense is speculating about Mr. Cameron’s emotions and intentions which are unnecessary.”
The judge looked over at Hale, his expression thoughtful as he considered her objection. After a brief pause, he nodded slightly.
“Objection sustained,” he said firmly. “Move on, Counsellor.”
Cooper’s lawyer visibly bristled but, after a moment, turned back to Rafe with a more neutral expression.
“You said when you entered the room,” the lawyer pressed, “You found Mr. Miller standing over Ms Y/L/N, correct?”
Rafe’s voice was steady, though there was a subtle hardness to it now. “He was standing above her, acting like nothing had happened.”
The lawyer’s expression hardened, his eyes flickering toward the jury as he made his point. “So, you immediately assumed the worst, you didn’t consider that perhaps Ms Y/L/N had simply fallen and hurt herself?”
Yeah right, cause you think I'm blind?
Rafe’s gaze never left him as his eyes narrowed, “No. When I saw her, she was bleeding, her clothes were ripped. It was obvious he had hurt her, how could she have ripped her own clothes herself?”
The lawyer’s voice was now dripping with doubt, “So despite the fact that you had no clear evidence of any wrongdoing, you decided to take matters into your own hands and you physically attacked Mr. Miller?”
Are you even listening to me?
Rafe’s expression remained unwavering. “I didn’t attack him, I was protecting Y/n. I told him to get away from her, but he evidently wasn’t listening to me since he blocked my path, so I had to do what I needed to do to ensure Y/n was safe.”
“But he wasn’t physically attacking her at that moment Mr Cameron so why did you beat him to the brink of death,” the lawyer asked, leaning in.
Rafe’s response was swift, his tone firm. “He didn’t need to be- I saw the blood, the bruising, and I knew she wasn’t okay, I wasn’t going to let him hurt her. What if I had left and he continued?”
There was a slight pause as the lawyer adjusted his stance, clearly trying to manipulate Rafe’s response.
“So, you’re saying you acted out of concern for Ms Y/L/N, but you didn’t have a clear understanding of what had happened, correct?” Rafe’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but his composure never cracked.
“I knew what had happened. And I wasn’t going to let Cooper continue to sexually assault Y/n when I could have stopped it”
A murmur rose from the crowd watching, whispers of agreement arising causing the lawyer to give him one last, sharp look and his jaw tightened, but he gave a sharp nod, signalling the end of his questioning and he returned to his seat, clearly frustrated by Rafe’s unwavering calm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cooper adjusted his suit cuffs as he approached the stand, every step slow and confident, clearly no hesitation in his movement. Y/n tensed slightly in her seat, keeping her eyes on the worn down wooden table in front of her, the surface clearly eroded over the years, gloss dull and matted. Rafe looked over at the girl, his hand moving out slowly and placing over hers which was resting on her knee, he squeezed her hand slightly in silent support, and her eyes flicker up from the table looking up at him. If they weren't in the situation they’ve found themselves in, Y/n would have taken more time to admire the boy sitting next to her, smartly clad in a black suit, grey tie neatly done up, white shirt pristine against his tanned skin. She could feel the coolness of his signet ring against her skin and the feeling grounded her for a second, her eyes met his and she gave him a small smile, which he returned. The bailiff stepped forward,
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”
Cooper’s voice was steady, calm, as though he’d dealt with situations like this many times before. Cooper’s lawyer rose, offering him a reassuring smile.
“Mr. Miller, thank you for being here today. I know this has been difficult for you.”
Cooper gave a practiced, somber nod as he spoke out, “Yes. It’s been… overwhelming. But I want to clear the air, if not for my own wellbeing but for those who are being affected personally why this disagreement.”
His tone was soft, measured as he spoke, hands clasped together, with a small nod of his head.
“Let’s start with the night in question. Can you explain to the court what happened between you and Miss Y/L/N?”
Cooper sighed quietly, eyes flicking briefly toward Y/N.
“I was at the party with Y/n and like everyone else I was drinking, having fun, and of course we were separated for a while. You know I have many other friends at the party so I left her to do her own thing. But then when I saw Y/N, she seemed pretty out of it, and much like any other normal person would be, I was concerned for her.”
A pause came in his words as he pushed his hair out of his face and continued,
“She was drunk, and I didn’t think it was safe for her to be alone, so I offered to help her find the bathroom and she agreed. She could barely stand, I mean when I was leading her up the stairs I almost had to carry her up myself. She was leaning on me so much, so that led me to infer she clearly wasn't in a stable state.”
Cooper leaned forward slightly, voice dropping just enough to sound sincere.
“We ended up in a bedroom with a bathroom attached. She wasn’t feeling well so I tried to get her somewhere quieter, the downstairs bathroom was so busy. She went in, and when she came out, I kissed her and she happily kissed me back.”
His eyes met the jury’s as he spoke, “I thought it was mutual... She never told me to stop. Not once.”
He let the words sink in as his lawyer prompted gently. “And then?” Cooper shook his head slowly.
“It started getting a little heated, sure but then, out of nowhere, she elbowed me in the stomach.”
His hand instinctively brushed his waist as if remembering before shaking his head as he continued strongly,
“I backed off immediately. I thought maybe she was more drunk than I realized and she was reacting violently, so I tried to help her up but then she tripped over her own feet fell, it must've been from those heels she was wearing. She hit her head and I panicked, to be honest I didn’t know what to do.”
He looked down taking a moment before he spoke up again voice cracking slightly,
“I was trying to help her and then Rafe kicked down the door and attacked me for no reason, just started hitting me over and over. I thought I was going to die.”
Cooper’s lawyer gave a sympathetic nod as he looked at the teen asking, “Did you try to explain to Mr. Cameron what happened?”
“Yes of course I did, I told him she fell. That I was helping her but he wouldn’t listen to me. He wanted to believe I was hurting her, but I wasn’t. I swear to God, I wasn’t.”
The courtroom was silent as his lawyer let the words linger.
“Have you ever forced yourself on Ms Y/L/N or anyone else?”
Cooper’s eyes narrowed slightly, his face expressing disgust long enough for him to speak out,
You're such a fucking Liar
He sat perfectly still, letting the jury absorb his calm denial as his Lawyer shook his head with a small smile in his direction before turning towards his table and standing by his seat, “Thank you, Mr Miller. No further questions.” Cooper exhaled, sitting back in his seat as his eyes flicked toward Y/N, just for a second. She stared back at him, refusing to look away, and the boy's gaze hesitated, darting over her posture, evidently catching her close proximity with Rafe. Hale rose from her seat, a cold precision in her movements as she stepped forwards, voice clear and approaching with a quiet authority.
Cooper turned toward her, polite smile, his eyes looking the woman up and down, “Yes?”
“You’ve told this court that Ms Y/L/N never objected to your advances. That she never said no. Correct?”
Cooper nodded, keeping his expression neutral, “That’s right.”
Hale’s eyes sharpened, tilting her head slightly as she looked to the boy when she spoke,
“And yet, the rape kit performed the morning after the incident found bruising consistent with forceful restraint. Bruises on Ms Y/L/N’s wrists and thighs.”
She paused as she peered over to the jury, many member’s frowning as they listened to the woman's words, “Would you like to explain how she got those?”
Cooper’s jaw tightened, just slightly, as his tongue darted out to lick his lips, his shoulders shrugging slightly.
“She was drunk, she might’ve fallen. Or maybe when she hit me I-”
“Oh, so now you’re suggesting you might’ve left those marks?”
A flicker of frustration crossed his face as he narrowed his eyes at her speaking out more forcefully now, “No, I’m saying she was drunk and unsteady. She could’ve bruised herself.”
Hale took a step closer towards the boy behind the witness stand as she crossed her arms again, “On both wrists and thighs?”
“Objection,” Cooper’s lawyer snapped. “Argumentative.” Y/n mentally rolled her eyes at the man’s comment, of course he was going to object to Hale, she was proving to the jury that the boy sitting in front of them was nothing but a conniving manipulator. “Sustained. Move on, Ms. Hale.” The lawyer smoothed her blazer down before continuing,
“Let’s talk about the door.”
Cooper blinked as he looked at her cluelessly, the questioning was going nothing like his lawyer had told him it would and Hale could tell from the boy's body language, he was now fully sitting up leaning forward as he spoke, arms resting on the witness stand.
“The bedroom door was locked. From the inside.”
Cooper hesitated as he looked at the woman before a confused expression slipped onto his face, “I don’t remember locking it, maybe Y/n did it or it got jammed closed, I didn’t lock it.”
The woman gave a nod, however she wasn't fooled by his petty excuse,
“Well considering you stated that my client was severely drunk as you led her up to the room, I doubt she would be capable of locking the door herself as that takes coordination which, from your recollection Mr Miller, she did not have. You said Rafe attacked you without reason but isn’t it true that when he tried to get to Y/N, you blocked him and told him to stay out of it?”
Cat got your tongue bitch?
Cooper’s expression darkened for a split second and Y/n could depict a flash of panic behind his eyes, “I told him she was fine I didn’t want him to overreact-”
“-Overreact?” Hale’s voice sharpened. “He found her bruised, barely conscious on the floor with you hovering above her helpless frame, I wouldn’t consider that ‘overreacting,’ would you?”
Cooper’s jaw tightened, as he watched the woman peer over to the jury, his eyes narrowed as he spat out,
“Funny. You seem to remember everything else so clearly, but not that.”
Rafe peered over at Y/n, eyes lingering on her, taking note of her hand resting on the table, her finger picking at the skin on her thumb which had now turned an irritated pink, his brows drew down in concern as his hand reached out to push her finger away from her thumb, she looked up at his confused, eyes now drawn away from her hand. It was evident she was anxious, the boy didn't need to be genius to realise that, so he gestured over to Cooper with his eye’s, the girls following the boys gaze, her vision landing on the boy on the stand who now had a sour expression on his face, clearly displeased with the way Hale was persistently digging into him.
“One more thing I’d like to draw attention to is Miss Y/L/N’s head injury. The medical report shows blunt force trauma consistent with her skull being slammed against a hard surface,” the women turned away from the jury and now directed her questioning to Cooper,
“did she ‘fall’ into the floor too?”
Cooper’s lips pressed into a thin line as he bit back at the woman, “She hit me first. I lost my balance, and we both went down.”
“So you’re saying you accidentally slammed her head into the ground?”
Hale stepped forward, cutting him off as she crossed her arms, “Tell me, Mr. Miller When Y/n tried to crawl to the door, did you help her up?”
“Or did you pull her back?”
“Did you hit her head against the floor to keep her quiet?”
The word echoed in the courtroom, Cooper’s face flushed as he slammed his hand down against the witness stand, Y/n jumped slightly at the sound.
Hale leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a deadly calm.
“Then why did she have a concussion, Mr. Miller?”
Cooper’s throat worked to swallow as he hesitated, his eyes looking over to his own lawyer. Hale’s eyes locked onto his about to speak again yet she was cut off,
“You’re a lying son of a bitch!”
The words erupted from the back of the courtroom, sharp and venomous, slicing through the tense silence like a blade. Gasps rippled across the room as every head turned toward the source of the outburst. A man stood rigid, his face red with fury, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles blanched. Before the shock could fully settle, another voice snarled from Cooper’s side, colder, sharper. Y/N whipped her head around, following the sound of the man’s voice, and her eyes landed on the last person she expected to see- the captain from her family’s yacht. Surprise rippled through her chest, he’d always been a quiet, steady presence in her life, seeing him now, standing rigid with fury on her behalf, sent a strange mix of comfort washing over her.
“Shut the fuck up, Pogue!”
A man shot up from where he was sitting on the bench on the opposite side of the hall, shoulders squared, lips curled in a sneer. His voice carried like a threat, heavy with disdain, the insult cracking like a whip in the charged atmosphere, it was like striking a match in a dry forest.
Voices broke out in overlapping shouts- some in protest, others in confusion. Chairs scraped at the back of the hall, where there hadn’t been enough benches for people to sit on, the polished floor being scratched as people shifted, some rising slightly, others leaning forward as if expecting the tension to snap into violence. Chaos swelled, voices stacking over one another, each second pulling the room further from order.
The gavel slammed down with heavy force, each strike louder than the last, commanding the room to heel.
“Order!” the judge bellowed, his voice slicing clean through the noise.
The room recoiled as voices died mid-sentence and everyone’s movements stilled. The judge leaned forward, his glare sweeping across the courtroom, cold and unforgiving, “One more interruption, and I will not hesitate to clear this courtroom. Do I make myself clear?”
The silence that followed was suffocating.
The man on Cooper’s side slumped back into his seat, muttering under his breath, though his eyes still burned with quiet hostility. Across the aisle, the captain who had first shouted stood frozen for a moment longer, chest heaving, before slowly sinking back into his chair, his glare locked on Cooper with a hatred that didn’t need words. The air felt heavier now, weighted with unsaid threats and lingering tension, but the judge exhaled slowly, fingers flexing around the gavel. Cooper, pale and rigid on the stand, didn’t dare look at anyone as the judge turned his attention back, his voice was low but firm,
“Mr. Miller Answer the question.”
Cooper’s lips barely moved.
Yet no one believed him as Cooper sat frozen on the stand, his composed mask cracked, his palms pressed against the wood. As Y/n watched him, sitting in the spotlight, this was the first time she’d noticed that he didn’t look so confident. Hale didn’t need to say another word as she turned on her heel, returning to her seat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The courtroom felt colder when Y/N was called to the stand.
Her name echoed through the silence, and for a heartbeat, she couldn’t move until Rafe’s hand brushed her arm briefly, a quiet reassurance and Hale gave her a small nod. The girl rose on shaky legs, feeling every set of eyes turn toward her. The floor seemed too far away, her heels too loud as she crossed the room, Each step felt heavier than the last she made her way to the daunting witness stand. As she sat down, the wooden chair hard and unyielding beneath her eyes flickered to Cooper for half a second. The boy leaned back in his chair slightly.
Hale rose smoothly, standing in front of the jury with a calm, composed presence.
“Y/N,” Hale’s voice softened, “I know this is difficult, but I need you to walk us through what happened that night. Please, tell the jury what you remember, every little detail helps.”
Y/N swallowed hard, her mouth dry.
“I was at Matthew White’s house on halloween night for the party he was hosting, well there was a lot of drinking obviously, and after a while I-” She paused, clearing her throat slightly, “ um- I was really drunk so Cooper offered to help me… to the bathroom.”
Her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt as her eyes darted around the room, everyone staring back at her, many expressionless, others with their eyebrows drawn down as they listened to her words.
“But he took me into a bedroom with a bathroom attached, and I thought that was odd but I didn’t say anything and I went into the bathroom by myself, and then, when I came out, he was there… waiting for me.”
Her throat tightened slightly as her nail started to scratch at the material of her skirt to distract herself as she spoke and she pushed forward.
“I was feeling dizzy when I came out so I went to sit down but Cooper sort of got in the way. Then next thing I know he’s kissing me. I didn’t stop him at first. I thought- I thought it was harmless...”
She heard a murmur arise from the crowd, and as she looked past Hale her eyes caught onto some people shaking their heads with disbelief, some of the people on Cooper's side of the court were rolling their eyes, causing her teeth to grind against each other.
“But then it… it escalated and he started touching me more aggressively. And I- I told him to stop I— I was saying it, but it was like… like I wasn’t loud enough or he just wasn’t listening. I was… drunk, and it was hard to get the words out so I tried pushing him off, but he wouldn’t listen… to me.”
Her breath grew shaky and she could feel her bottom lip trembling so her hand tightened on the armrest of her seat.
“I started to panic so I hit him. I elbowed him and I tried to move when he let go of me, but I stumbled. I hit my head on something and I fell… I tried crawling to the door, but…”
Her voice broke, and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision.
“…but he grabbed me. And he didn’t stop.”
The words barely made it out past her lips and for a moment she wondered if this was worth it. What if they didn't win the case, was she really ready to be humiliated in front of almost the whole island. Hale’s voice rang out in her ears and she realised she must have been standing there silently for longer than she thought,
“Are you okay to continue-”
“-Yes, uh sorry yes, so I was crying and I remember someone trying to open the door. And I was relieved but then, I realised it was locked, so I reacted upon instinct and I… Well I headbutted Cooper to get him off me and I thought I could crawl over to the door but- but he just- he slammed my head into the floor and then… it’s blurry. I think I blacked out momentarily.”
Her hands trembled in her lap.
“The next thing I remember was Rafe in the room and Cooper was on the floor, and uh… Rafe was, he was hitting him. And I- I couldn’t move because my whole body was aching so I couldn’t- I couldn’t move.”
Her voice cracked, and she looked down avoiding the burning gaze of the boy who was staring at her angrily. Hale gave her a moment, then spoke softly.
“Thank you, Y/N. No further questions, Your Honor.”
Y/N barely breathed as Hale returned to her seat.
But the relief didn’t last as Cooper’s lawyer leaned over to the boy whispering something in his ear before he rose slowly, unbuttoning his blazer. His expression was calm, but there was something cold behind his eyes. He approached the stand with careful steps,
“Ms Y/L/N,” he began smoothly, “I want to make sure I understand. You willingly followed Mr. Miller into that bedroom, correct?”
Y/N’s lips pressed together.
“I… he said he was taking me to the bathroom.”
“And you didn’t object to going with him?”
“You also said that when Mr. Miller kissed you, you didn’t stop him. In fact, you were okay with it at first?”
He raised a hand casually.
“Just yes or no, please.”
Her hands gripped the seat.
“So at that point, things were consensual.”
“That’s not what I said!”
A sharp silence cut through the room as she spoke out louder than expected, the lawyer paused, raising an eyebrow brow at her behaviour, clearly amused by the situation. Hale stood abruptly at the girl's distress.
“Objection, Your Honor. Counsel is badgering the witness.”
The judge barely acknowledged the woman's voice, focused on the papers he was reading, hand moving up to pull the wire rimmed glasses off his face as he looked up and spoke out to the lawyer before turning to the girl,
“Overruled. Watch your tone, Ms Y/L/N. Answer the question.”
Rafe watched the girl from his seat next to Hale, his hands clasped together on the table, leg nervously bouncing underneath it. Hale had told him he couldn't act out today, that if he did the chances of them winning the case would be minimal, so he sat there, silent, unmoving, his pulse thudding heavily in his ears as he watched the girl in front of him being scrutinized on her every word and action. She cleared her throat before she spoke up again,
“At first, yes. But when it got worse-”
“And you were intoxicated at this point, correct? Heavily intoxicated?”
“So it’s fair to say your memory of what exactly was said or done might not be entirely clear?”
“But you just admitted you were mumbling and not speaking clearly. Is it possible that Mr. Miller didn’t hear you?”
Her heart hammered as the man pressed his questioning.
“But you can’t say for certain what he heard, can you?”
Silence. What was she even meant to respond to? She sat there staring at him before mumbling out,
The lawyer smiled faintly, turning toward the jury as he folded his arms and continued speaking.
“You also stated that you hit him first. That you initiated physical violence against him. Correct?”
Y/N’s eyes widened slightly at the man's question, the judgemental mumble rising from the crowd once more. She looked over to Hale who was staring down at her paper writing something down ferociously, her gaze then drifted over to Rafe whose jaw was clenched tightly, brows filled down into a frown, he gave her a small shake of the head.
“I hit him because he wouldn’t stop—”
“But you hit him. Yes or no?”
“This isn’t fair! I was defending myself!”
The lawyer’s lips curled slightly as he observed the girl lose her temper, he raised his hand stopping her protests as he spoke out.
“But you hit him first. Yes or no?”
Y/N’s mouth opened before it closed again, she breathes out heavily through her nose before she sighed out,
He took a slow step back nodding his head to himself, from the corner of her eye she noticed one of the jury members leaning over, whispering something into the ear of the man sitting next to her causing him to nod in agreement. She felt a lump start to form in her throat.
“So, to summarize- you followed him willingly, kissed him willingly, didn’t clearly say no, and then physically attacked him. Isn’t that correct?”
Her hand was trembling in her lap as her tongue darted out quickly to wet her lisp, her voice barely was barely audible as she spoke,
The lawyer gave a small, satisfied nod, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he walked back towards the table, shuffling through his papers before placing them down. He leaned over to Cooper slightly mumbling something. For the moment that he had his back turned to her, she let out a shaky breath and her hand came up shakily to run over teh bridge of her nose. Her eyes looked up and caught Rafe’s, ‘Are you okay?’, the boy mouthed in her direction causing her to give him a slight nod.
Her attention was drawn back to Dune as he spoke to her once again, “If I remember correctly from what you stated for us in your testimony earlier, after my client ‘supposedly’ harmed you, you blacked out afterward. Does that sound right to you Ms Y/L/N?”
She looked at him expressionless, she refused to give Cooper the satisfaction of seeing her in this position, he was already staring at her, tapping his fingers against the table.
“So you can’t say for certain what Cooper was doing when Mr. Cameron entered the room?”
“I know what he was doing, he- he was hurting me”
“But you can’t prove it, can you?”
“Objection!” Hale’s voice cut through the air. “Argumentative.”
The judge shook his head slowly as he turned to the man, “Sustained, If you don't have more to say on the matter Mr. Dune move on.” The lawyer’s gaze was steady as he looked to Y/n with a smile, nothing but sarcastic and forced,
“No further questions, Your Honour.”
Y/N sat frozen, the blood roaring in her ears as Cooper’s lawyer returned to his seat, composed and calm. Her eyes drifted over to the boy sitting next to him, now sitting back comfortably in his seat, a ghost of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
The air in the courtroom felt thick, suffocating, as Y/N slowly made her way back to her seat next to Rafe. Her legs felt unsteady, as though they might give way beneath her at any moment. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her head spinning from the brutal questioning and the weight of reliving that night. The boy’s eyes didn’t leave her as she sat down, his gaze sharp and concerned. He could see the way she was trembling, her fingers clenched tightly on the edge of the chair, her breaths uneven. His jaw tightened with a protective instinct he couldn’t suppress. Cooper’s lawyer was now droning on, continuing his cross-examination of some irrelevant point, but Rafe wasn’t paying attention. He leaned closer to her, his voice low enough not to interrupt the court, but with an edge of urgency.
Y/N flinched slightly, not expecting him to speak so close, but when she met his eyes, her facade crumbled. Before she got out of the car outside the courthouse she told herself she wouldn’t break down in front of everyone, she refused to do so, it was humiliating, embarrassing, shameful, but now she didn’t have the strength to hold it in anymore
She whispered, her voice barely audible. The words hung in the air, and Rafe’s heart clenched as he took in her slightly trembling frame. Before she could say more, he immediately sat up straighter, his hand moving to her arm, his fingers brushing against her skin in a silent gesture of comfort, but it was clear she was struggling to keep her composure. He glanced at Hale, who was sitting just a few feet away, her eyes fixed on the proceedings.
“Hale,” he murmured urgently, leaning in.
Hale looked at him, taking in the concern written all over his face, she didn’t hesitate for a second as her gaze drifted over to the girl’s hands, now situated in her lap, gripping at the material of her skirt. Hale stood up swiftly, cutting through the Dune’s long-winded explanation, her voice rang clear and commanding.
“Your Honour, we request a brief recess. My client is clearly in distress.”
The judge, who had been watching closely, raised an eyebrow. He had noticed the way Y/N was reacting, her flushed face and rapid breathing, he let out a hum, looking over to the clock situated on the wall and gave a small nod.
“Very well,” the judge said, his voice carrying authority. “We’ll take a short recess.”
The bailiff slammed the gavel down, and a murmur of surprise rippled through the room as the court was officially adjourned for the break.
Y/N didn’t wait for anyone to speak to her. As soon as the gavel hit, she stood up quickly, her knees unsteady as she jerkily pushed the chair away from the table, and without saying a word, she rushed towards the doors. The eyes of the entire courtroom were on her as she made her way out, her steps hurried as the clicks of her heels were heard bounding against the wooden floor.
Rafe was already on his feet, his hand on his chair as he followed after her mumbling out a small ‘sorry’ under his breath to Hale, moving quickly but quietly followed in the girl's steps.
The aisle to the exit of the courtroom felt endless as she rushed down it, desperate to escape the feeling of being trapped inside its walls. The noise from the courtroom still echoed in her mind, but it was the tightness in her chest that terrified her the most. She felt like she was suffocating.
Rafe’s voice cut through the distance as he caught up with her. She pushed through the heavy courtroom doors, she didn’t look back, the weight of everything pressing down on her with every step. The sound of her heels hitting against the cement of the steps reverberated in her ears, her hands coming up to push her hair out of her face as she walked, suddenly pulling her blazer off her body, feeling claustrophobic. Rafe’s hand reached out gently to touch her arm, she stopped but didn’t turn to face him. He could see her shoulders trembling, and the strong grip she had on her blazer which was now crumpled in her hand. Rafe kept his voice low, calm,
“You’re okay. Just breathe, Y/N. Please…”
But she didn’t respond, the sobs choking her before she could form any words. Her face was instantly covered by her palms, her hands shaking, as she tried to hide herself, overcome by shame. Rafe’s chest tightened with the need to comfort her, to fix this, but there was nothing he could do but hold her steady.
He urged gently, but she still wouldn’t face him so he stepped closer, his hands resting on her shoulders as he turned her toward him. His voice softened even more, a quiet command.
“Y/N, need you to breathe for me.”
Her ragged breaths began to slow ever so slightly, but they didn't disappear as she leaned into him, her face buried against his chest. The moment felt fragile, as though she might break apart at any second.
Rafe repeated, holding her close, his fingers gently running over her back, he didn’t care who was watching; although there was no-one outside, Shoupe had clearly kept the crowd inside to provide the two with some privacy. He let his hold on her drop slightly as she pulled back taking in a shaky breath, fingers trying to carefully wipe at the tears which clung to her lower lashes, careful not to smudge anymore of her mascara, but her crying wasn’t making it any easier for her.
Y/N took a few steps back and leant against the wall, before she slowly moved down the cold brick now slumped, her knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them as if she were trying to hold herself together. The coldness of the courthouse walls did nothing to ease the anxiety and anger coursing through her, heating her skin. Her breath was still wavering, shaky sobs escaping from her as her mind continued to replay the questioning, over analysing every moment. Rafe didn’t hesitate as he crouched down beside her, his gaze soft as he leaned back against the wall, mirroring her position, close enough to feel the tension in her body, but careful not to crowd her.
He said quietly, his voice deep and soothing. His fingers brushed over the back of her hand, a grounding touch as she continued to tremble.
Her eyes stayed down, her breathing still shallow, but the words she spoke next made his heart twist in his chest, her voice barely passing her lips,
“I don’t even care about any of this anymore,” Y/N whispered, her voice hoarse and cracked. She swallowed, the words coming out in a pained, broken rush.
“I don’t care about me, I just… I don’t want you to go to jail, Rafe. I don’t want you to pay for something I… I know you didn’t do.”
Rafe’s heart ached at her words. She was thinking about him- about his future- when she should have been able to focus on her own, her own healing. It wasn’t fair. But that was who she was: selfless, through all the years he’d known her, her loyalty for their friendship never wavered, and if it did it was his fault. He gently took her hand in his, squeezing it tightly and he met her gaze, his expression soft but resolute.
“Y/N,” he said, his voice low but clear. “This isn’t your fault, none of this is your fault-”
Her eyes welled with more tears, and she shook her head, feeling lost in the depth of her emotions,
He interrupted gently, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. “It’s not your fault, and I’m not going anywhere okay? You did a great job in there, such a good job angel.”
She let out a shaky breath, the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat. But her gaze softened slightly as she looked at him, the boy sending her a comforting smile. Rafe didn’t try to say anything more. He just stayed there, leaning against the wall beside her,
The sound of footsteps approaching interrupted the moment, and Rafe was the first to rise, offering his hand to her, Y/N hesitated for a second but took it, letting him help her to her feet. Her shoulders were slumped, her expression drained, and he could tell she’d had enough. He slowly raised his hand and wiped his thumb against the skin on her cheek, her eyes fluttering closed at the touch. He carefully rubbed off the black smudges on her skin and took the blazer from her hands, holding it out for her to put on. She slipped her arms into the material, Rafe smoothing it out on her shoulders before she tuned to face him, eyes meeting his. She licked her lips slightly as she paused.
Her head turned towards the voice, Shoupe standing there looking back at them, hands on his hips. She let out a breath as she gave him a small nod, Rafe’s hand giving hers a firm squeeze.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The courtroom was tense, every eye focused on the exchange between the defense and prosecution. Cooper’s lawyer stood at his table, flipping through a file with a grim expression. Hale, on the other side, was calm but visibly firm, her eyes locked on Dune, she was getting ready for a showdown, and both of them knew it from the way he was hastily flickering through his papers. Dune stood up, his voice clear as he addressed the judge.
“Your Honor, we’ve seen the rape kit evidence presented, but it’s crucial to point out that it’s inconclusive. There are no definitive signs of trauma that directly link my client to any kind of assault. The defendant,” he glanced at Y/N, “was heavily intoxicated that night, and I would argue that her memory of events is unreliable.”
Hale’s eyes narrowed, her voice rising slightly as she stood to respond to the man's statement.
She didn’t wait for the judge to respond, instead taking a step forward.
“The defense is attempting to discredit the evidence without offering any substantive counterarguments. The rape kit- though it may not provide a perfect picture- does show evidence of physical harm consistent with sexual assault, and the presence of trauma in her nasal cavity and forehead which is not something that can be easily dismissed.”
Dune snapped his head toward Hale.
“Your Honor, this is a speculative statement,” he said sharply, his voice rising in frustration. “We are talking about a piece of evidence that- at best- only suggests a mild injury. The victim was intoxicated, and her memory is so compromised that she cannot even accurately describe the events leading up to what happened. I challenge the prosecution to explain why this should be considered definitive proof of an assault!”
The tension in the room was palpable. The judge, who had been quietly listening, gave an almost imperceptible sigh, then raised his gavel, cutting off the lawyer's angry rambling.
“Order!” The judge’s voice rang out,
“Mr. Dune, you will refrain from speaking over opposing counsel. We will proceed with the evidence, and I expect you to stick to the facts.”
The room fell silent. Y/N’s breath hitched, her hand gripping Rafe’s before pulling away as she notices Cooper’s harsh glare at her. Hale’s tone remained calm but sharp as she turned to the judge.
“Thank you, Your Honor. Now, I’d like to clarify the importance of this evidence. The rape kit may not be a perfect diagnosis, but it is highly suggestive of the victim’s physical condition at the time of the assault. And contrary to the defense’s argument, that is something we cannot overlook.”
Mr. Dune’s voice snapped back.
“The kit also fails to find any traces of my client’s DNA, Your Honor. In fact, the absence of such evidence only strengthens our case. It suggests that whatever happened between Ms. Y/N and my client was nothing more than a misunderstanding, possibly fueled by intoxication and poor judgment.”
The man’s words seemed to clearly frustrate the woman as she stood up straighter, her eyes never leaving the defense attorney as she leaned in, her voice piercing.
“Your Honor, Mr. Dune is conveniently ignoring the fact that the victim was unconscious for a period of time and unable to resist. She was completely vulnerable to whatever actions Mr. Cooper chose to take. The lack of DNA evidence does not disprove anything. In fact, it could indicate that Cooper was being careful, possibly because he knew what he was doing was wrong-”
The room fell into a stunned silence, the weight of Hale’s words hanging heavily in the air but Dune, clearly taken aback by the force of Hale’s argument, wasn’t backing down.
“-objection, Your Honor,” he shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s pure speculation. Just because something is ‘suggestive’ doesn’t make it fact. We cannot convict a man on ‘what-ifs’ and ‘maybe’s-’”
At this, the judge slammed his gavel down, his voice booming.
The room instantly quieted. “This is a courtroom, not a battle of egos. Respect the process and refrain from making assumptions.”
With a final, lingering glare at Dune, the judge turned his attention back to the court.
The tension simmered as the argument subsided, and both lawyers reluctantly returned to their seats. But the impact of their verbal clash had set the courtroom on edge. Y/N, looked at Rafe, who gave her a reassuring nod.
After the outburst the courtroom gradually settled into a thick, suffocating silence. Y/N and Rafe shifted their seats, as well as Cooper who was now significantly more on edge then when the trial began. She sat stiffly, gripping the edge of the table as if it could anchor her in place. Rafe watched her carefully as Hale, composed but tense, sifted through her notes with a sharp glance toward the defence table. Dune rose, straightening his tie with deliberate ease.
“Your Honour,” he began, his voice smooth, almost oily, “the defence would like to introduce a recently obtained piece of evidence, crucial to understanding the nature of the relationship between Ms. Y/L/N and my client.”
Hale’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing.
“Objection, Your Honour! This evidence was not submitted during discovery. The prosecution was given no notice of this.”
The judge’s eyes sharpened. “Approach the bench.”
Both lawyers strode forward, their voices low but charged with tension. Dunne leaned in, explaining that the video had only recently surfaced and was essential for the jury’s understanding. Hale’s rebuttal was swift and fierce, challenging its credibility and timing but the judge, after a brief pause, sighed out,
A flicker of satisfaction crossed his face as he turned smoothly back to the courtroom, “Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d direct your attention to the screen.”
The grainy footage began to play on the small screen. The image jerked as if filmed on a shaky phone, the party’s noise buzzed faintly in the background. Y/N appeared on the screen, laughing in her matching costume beside Cooper. His hand rested casually on her waist. She didn’t pull away, leaning forward and resting her head on his shoulder.
A ripple of whispers spread through the gallery like a slow-burning fuse.
The air around her thickened as if the walls were closing in. The video felt like a cold hand pressing against her throat, squeezing, she tightened her grip on the table, her knuckles pale as she felt everyone’s eyes on her.
Dune’s voice rang out, slicing through the murmurs.
“I ask the jury to take a close look. This is not a girl in distress, this is very clearly not fear, Ms. Y/L/N chose to spend time with my client and from their body language it is apparent they enjoyed each other's company. They wore coordinated costumes, as far as I am aware you don’t do that with someone you don’t like. This isn’t coercion- this is consent.”
The murmurs swelled, small gasps punctuating the air.
“That’s not how it was,” Y/N whispered under her breath, barely audible as she shook her head turning to Rafe, “this was- this was before it happened.”
Rafe leaned in slightly, voice low and steady, “They’re twisting it,” he murmured in her ear “don’t let them get in your head.”
Across the room, Hale spoke out abruptly, “Objection, Your Honour! This footage lacks context and is intentionally prejudicial.”
Dunne spread his hands in mock innocence as he turned to the lawyer, a smug expression now plastered onto his face, “Context? The footage speaks for itself, Ms. Hale.”
The judge’s expression darkened, but he waved a dismissive hand, turning to Cooper’s lawyer, “Overruled Ms. Hale. Continue.”
Dunne, a thin smirk tugging at his mouth, turned back to Y/N as he took a few steps towards the table where she was sat with Rafe.
“Ms. Y/L/N,” he said, voice smooth but coiled with intent, “you willingly left the party and went upstairs with my client, didn’t you?”
Y/N swallowed hard, her voice barely steady as she shook her head at him, “I was drunk… I thought he was helping me.”
“But you did leave with him,” Dunne pressed, stepping forward once more, “you didn’t call for help when he led you up the stairs, you didn’t scream. Isn’t that true?”
Rafe’s jaw was clenched as he felt the girls panic next to him, gruffly speaking out,
“I’m not speaking to you Mr Cameron.”
Dune shot back coldly as he ignored the boy, not even bothering to look at him as he spoke. Rafe’s brows drew down into an immediate frown, his mouth opening again to speak out but was cut off by Hale’s voice.
“Objection! Badgering the witness!”
The judge didn’t blink as he leant forward in his seat, clearly interested in the unraveling scene,
Dune’s grin tightened as he turned back to the girl, hand gesturing out to her and then Cooper as he spoke,
“And these matching costumes- whose idea were they? Yours, or my client’s?”
Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. Her mind scrambled as she struggled to respond, “It—it wasn’t like that,” she stammered. Dunne’s tone sharpened, slicing through the still air.
Rafe barked out next to the girl standing up protectively, when he noticed her eyes had glossed over with tears again. The courtroom felt as though it might snap from the tension, everyone in the room eagerly awaiting what would happen next. Everyone had been surprised that Rafe had managed to keep his calm for so long, but his composure was slowly crumbling. Jurors exchanged uneasy glances as the boy stood, angrily staring up at Dune. Hale had shot him a warning look causing this to let out a frustrated huff and sit back down. Y/N’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Across the room, she could feel Cooper’s smirk like a knife in her skin. Dune leaned in just slightly, his voice dropping to a condescending murmur,
“Come on, Ms. Y/L/N, let’s not dance around this. You weren’t exactly pushing him away, were you?”
Is he allowed to do this?
Y/N’s eyes snapped up, locking onto his. Her grip on the edge of the table tightened as her voice trembled but sharpened at the end.
Dunne’s smirk didn’t falter, as he paced slowly, making a show of thinking, “You willingly followed him upstairs and you kissed him back. So tell me, Ms. Y/L/N- how exactly is that not true?”
Y/N’s breath caught in her throat, her pulse pounding in her ears as she hissed, louder now, “I told him to stop”
“Oh? Did you? Or is that just what you’re telling yourself now to make sense of your regret?”
When I fucking get my hands on you you smug piece of-
The words sliced through the air and Y/N’s face flushed hot. She leaned forward slightly, her voice cracking under the strain, “I said stop. I fought him because he wouldn't do so.”
Dunne’s smirk widened, smug and venomous as he pushed the conversation further,
“Really? Because it seems to me, Ms. Y/L/N, that you only changed your mind after your boyfriend showed up.”
Something inside Y/N snapped at the man’s words and found herself shouting out angrily, her voice echoing through the courtroom.
A shocked murmur rippled through the gallery at her reaction, many members of the jury raising their brows, eyes darting down to their notes, pencils scribbling against the paper. Dune straightened, unfazed but clearly pleased.
“Oh, struck a nerve, have I? My mistake. Ex-boyfriend then?”
Y/N’s jaw tightened as she responded, “That doesn’t change what happened.”
Dunne’s tone turned icy, “Doesn’t it? Sounds like a lovers’ quarrel spiraled out of control-”
“Objection!” Hale’s voice shot through the air. “He is very clearly badgering the witness!” The judge raised a hand to silence her but before he could speak, Y/N cut through the noise, trembling with fury.
“You’re twisting everything.”
She spoke out fury evident in her tone, her voice shaking but loud.
“You’re a liar- just like him!”
Y/N’s chest heaved, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Dune only smirked, adjusting his tie as if nothing had happened. The judge leaned forward,
“Mr. Dune, that is enough”
Dune turned back to Y/N, his tone smooth and controlled, “Of course, Your Honor.”
But the damage was done, the girl’s outburst hung in the air, and the jury couldn’t unhear the crack in her composure.
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The air was thick with anticipation, the kind that presses against your chest, making it hard to breathe. Every pair of eyes is glued to the jury foreman, waiting for the decision that will reverberate through this entire room. Y/N can feel her heart pounding in her throat, a frantic pulse that’s almost too loud, drowning out everything else. Rafe sits beside her, his presence solid and unwavering but she can feel the tension radiating from him, the barely-contained fury in every muscle of his body. His jaw is tight, the tendons in his neck straining as if he’s holding onto something just barely within his control. His hand is close- so close- that if she reaches out, just a little, her fingers might brush against his skin again. She couldn’t help herself- she needed to ask, needed to hear something from him, even if it was just a faint whisper in the chaos of everyone else’s conversations in the court,
"Do you think they’ll believe us?"
Her voice trembled slightly, barely audible above the stillness of the room, her eyes searching his face for any sign of reassurance. Rafe didn’t look at her at first, his gaze fixed on the jury foreman as he shifted, preparing to speak. His fingers twitched, his hand inching closer to hers, it wasn’t much, but it was enough for her to know he’s registered her words.
"They can’t ignore what they saw."
He said quietly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions surrounding him. Y/N’s chest constricted, her breath shaky as the words lingered between them. She wanted to believe him. She needed to. But doubt still gnawed at her, a silent whisper in the back of her mind that she couldn’t quite shake.
The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it, her voice a plea for comfort. Rafe finally turned his head, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment but the look in his gaze wasn’t filled with certainty. He leaned in just slightly, his voice low so only she could hear.
"Then we’ll find another way alright?"
For a moment, everything else in the room faded into the background. The chaos, the noise, the tension- all of it seemed to dissolve in the weight of his words. As the room fell silent again, the tension thickening, they both held onto that promise, like a quiet understanding between them. The foreman stood, the chair scraping against the cold floor like a whisper from the depths of hell. She catches his eye, and he sent her a small smile, and for a moment she feels relieved at his warmth.
He clears his throat, the noise sharp in the otherwise still room.
"We, the jury, find the defendant, Cooper Miller, not guilty on all charges."
Her vision blurs for a moment, everything spinning.
The room fractures, its very foundation shattering under the strain of the verdict. On Cooper’s side, relief ripples through the crowd- murmured sighs, quiet clapping, the soft rustling of people shifting in their seats. Their smugness is palpable, every movement a reminder of the victory they’ve claimed.
The room fractures, its very foundation shattering under the strain of the verdict. On Cooper’s side, relief ripples through the crowd- murmured sighs, clapping, the soft rustling of people shifting in their seats. Their smugness is palpable, every movement a reminder of the victory they’ve claimed. Y/N can practically feel the weight of their self-satisfaction pressing down on her, suffocating her.
However behind her, disbelief spreads like wildfire through the crowd. Gasps cut through the air, followed by angry murmurs and the sound of chairs scraping against the floor at the back of the court room as people began to rise, fists clenched in protest. A woman near the back of the room shouts, her voice raw with fury.
Her words hang in the air, poisonous, cutting through the tension like a knife. Yet this time Y/n couldn’t bring herself to turn around and see who it was. It’s like a spark in a haystack, and the fire quickly spreads. Another voice, joins in, rising from angry protests,
"You can’t just let him walk free, he’s a fucking criminal!"
She could tell whose voice it was, the blonde Pogue boy’s tone was infuriated as Kiara had to pull him back from one of the Kooks’ on the other side who was now squaring up to him. The room erupts, people are on their feet, shouting, arguing, gesturing wildly. The anger is palpable, a volatile mix of disbelief and outrage. The once orderly silence of the courtroom now a chaotic, swirling mess of voices, each more desperate than the last.
"ORDER! Order in this courtroom!"
But the noise only grows louder. A few people in the gallery shout even louder, their voices rising against the judge’s command.
The room falls into stunned silence, but the tension lingers in the air, thick and heavy.
Y/N’s chest tightens as though someone’s wrapped a vice around her ribs. It feels like she can’t breathe, as though the space between them is closing in, suffocating her. She forces her gaze back to Rafe, her heart aching as she tries to gauge what he’s feeling. But his expression is unreadable- his face set like stone, his jaw clenched tight, every muscle in his body drawn taut with the weight of everything hanging in the balance.
She can feel the raw, seething anger radiating off him. It pulses in the air, but what terrifies her most is how controlled he is. How silent. He’s standing tall, but every inch of him is coiled, ready to snap.
Her eyes flicker around and find Cooper’s across the courtroom. His smirk is slow and deliberate- an unsettling mix of arrogance and triumph. He adjusts his cufflinks, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on her. There’s a challenge there, an almost cruel satisfaction in the way he watches her. Y/N’s heart hammers in her chest, but she doesn’t break eye contact. She can’t. The way he’s looking at her- like he’s waiting for her to crumble, to fall apart in front of him- it stirs something in her.
She isn’t sure. All she knows is that she won’t give him the satisfaction.
Rafe’s gaze flickers toward her for a split second, the smallest movement. There’s something in his eyes that softens, just for a moment, before the storm picks up again. He shifts his position, edging closer, his body angling toward hers subconsciously. The small, tender gesture doesn’t go unnoticed by her and it makes the ache in her chest worse. Before she can process the moment, the judge’s voice cuts through the tension like a knife,
"Now, regarding the matter of aggravated assault- Mr. Cameron, stand."
Y/N watches as Rafe stands, every line of his body taut with tension. His posture is so stiff, his shoulders squared, she knows him well enough to see that he’s holding it together by a thread. His eyes stay forward, focused, but there’s an undercurrent of something raw, beneath the calm surface.
Her throat tightens as she watches him, and for the briefest of moments, she feels an overwhelming urge to reach out- to grab his hand, to make sure he knows she’s there, that she’s not going anywhere. But the space between them is too vast, too fragile.
"Given the severity of the assault and the circumstances, this court sentences you to two years of probation, mandatory anger management classes, and community service. Any violation will result in immediate incarceration. Do you understand?"
Rafe doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t blink. He simply answers, his voice steady, devoid of any emotion.
Y/N swallows hard. It’s not a prison. It’s not the worst-case scenario. But it feels like a punishment all the same. His voice, though calm, rings in her ears. She doesn’t know if she can stand it- he’s been given a sentence that will follow him everywhere, haunting him like a shadow. But he doesn't react, doesn't show the crack in his armour.
Not even a flicker of emotion.
Then, she feels it. A shift. Cooper leans back in his seat, that smug look still on his face, but now his gaze turns toward Rafe. It’s a brief look, almost imperceptible, but it’s enough. Rafe’s eyes snap to him in return, the moment stretching like a taut wire ready to snap. Cooper’s smirk widens, and Y/N feels her heart rate pick up, there’s something in the way Cooper looks at Rafe- a silent dare, a challenge.
She can feel the tension crackling between them, Cooper’s lips curl into a mocking smile, but Rafe, he doesn’t flinch. His expression is harder now, something fierce burning behind his eyes. He stares back at Cooper, daring him to make the next move, daring him to cross that invisible line that’s drawn between them.
The gavel slams down, but the noise is almost drowned out by the pounding of Y/N’s heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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