He's Forbidden, as am I

Tammy took a deep breath, and maintained her composure the best she could. "Can I use the bathroom?" she asked, and Zacky gave her an are you serious look. "Now?" They were just about to get started. Tammy gave him a small nod, "I don't have to go. I just wanna use the sink." she told him. Zack hesitated for a moment, and looked at her a little skeptical. "I'm not going to take off if that's what you're worried about." she said. It wasn't exactly that. They just had to walk past room three to get to the bathrooms. He let out a sigh, and stood up, "Yeah, come on." he said as he walked around the table, and held out his hand to her.

Tammy took it, and Zack helped her up. He opened the door, and he tried to walk her right past the room, but she stopped them as soon as she heard him yelling, and pounding on the door. The hall got extremely quiet when their eyes locked through the thick glass window on the door. Zacky normally would have continued down the hall, but found he couldn't pull his eyes away from the interaction. She looked like a child curiously looking at an animal in the zoo as she slowly strolled up to the window. "Don't do this Angel," he tried to plead to her through the door, "Come on baby girl. We can leave this place. Just the two of us."

Zacky watched a small, almost peaceful smile come out on Tammy's face as she took a few more steps closer to the door. "You know I love you Sweetheart. Don't do this." A content sigh escaped her lips, and she brought her fingers up like she was going to blow him a kiss. Her smile turned into a smirk, and she gave him a finger instead, watching the rage flood his eyes. "Karma's a bitch motherfucker," she said with a full smile, "Have fun getting ass raped in prison." and with that, she turned away, and continued to walk down the hall with a smirking Officer Baker following behind.

Zack stood patiently outside the bathroom door as he waited. It's been about two minutes, and the water has been running the whole time. If she wasn't out in the next 30 seconds, he was going in. There was no way she could escape. It was an internal room with no windows, but that didn't mean she wouldn't do something else. Just from the few hours he's known her, he already wouldn't put it past her to start a fire, or something to cause an evacuation. She seemed like she was going to cooperate now, so maybe he could give her the benefit of the doubt.

The water shut off with fifteen seconds to spare. The door opened, and Zack felt his own anger start to rise when he saw just why Tammy wanted to use the bathroom. The black eye wasn't the only bruise she was hiding, and he could see them clearly now. All he could think about was going into room three, and smashing that fuckers face against the wall....repeatedly. The two walked back down to room one, this time not stopping when they past room three. Nathan was still at the door, and Zack saw his eyes go wide when Tammy finally blew him that kiss, and waved goodbye in passing. It was clear Dr. Ross knew his life was over.

The pair walked back into the interrogation room, and took their seats across from each other. Zack reached over, and turned the recorder back on. "Do you want some water or anything?" he asked before they really got started. He knew this was going to be difficult, and wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. Tammy shook her head, and took a deep breath to keep her heart from racing. She had to do this now, or she wasn't going to be able. "Alright, well this will be your official statement, so I'll need you to state your name, age, and why you're here."

She gave him a small nod, and closed her eyes briefly as she took a couple more breaths to keep herself maintained. "M-my name is Tammy Ross. I'm seventeen, and I'm here because my stepfather, Nathan Ross M.D," she started, putting a little mockery in her voice, "has been abusing me physically and sexually for the past three and a half years."

"When did it start?"

"Um, I guess it all really started about a month after my mother died. The summer after eighth grade. I was fourteen, and didn't really think much of it. It was innocent, or so I thought...."

I wiped my eyes, and tossed the tissue in the trash next to the nightstand. I hate crying before I go to sleep. My eyes are always so puffy and dry the next morning, but I just couldn't help it lately. I missed her so much, and I thought about her the most at night. It was just me, so all I had was my thoughts, and they always go to her. I don't know if I'll ever get use to her not being here. I laid back down, and hugged on to my mother's old pillow. It smelled like her, and it was calming in a way. I took it a week after it happened. Dad never said anything about it. I think he understands, and there is another one there.

He's been a little distant lately, but I think he misses her just as much. I look a lot like her, and might just be a little much for him now. He doesn't completely ignore me. He just quiet, and sometimes I see him crying when he doesn't think I'm looking. I shut my eyes to try and get some sleep. I'm sure things will get back to normal eventually. It's just going to take time. At least we still had each other. I was lucky for that. I've never met my real father, and I don't even think he has any rights anymore now that Nathan is legally my father. Who knows where I would be if I didn't have him.

I opened my eyes when I heard my door slowly creek open. "Sweetheart," I heard dad's sad voice, "Are you awake?" he asked peeking in. "Yeah, daddy. What's up?" I asked as I sat up, and turned on the lamp. I know he likes it when I call him that. Maybe it would make him feel a little better. He was so happy when I asked if it was alright to call him dad. I on the other hand was palm sweaty nervous. He felt like a dad, and loved me like one. Why not call him what he is? I have no idea why I was so sure he would say no. "I can't seem to sleep," he said stepping into the room, and closing the door behind him, "Seems to be happening a lot lately." he mumbled, and I could hear the pain in his voice.

He walked over to the bed, and sat on the edge. His eyes were red, and it looked like he had been crying. "I guess I just got use to her being there next to me. It's making it hard to sleep there without her." he said almost at a whisper. It looked like he was trying hard not to cry, but I could see the tears forming again. "I just miss her so much." he said, his voice finally cracking as the tears spilled over. My heart broke for him, and I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug, not being able to stop my own from falling. "Me too."

We sat there like that for a moment just letting it out. It was comforting in a way. To know I still had someone to help me through this. Someone I could trust. I think this would be a lot harder without him here. "Do you want to sleep in here tonight?" I asked once I had calmed down. Maybe it would help. Who knows maybe I could too get some sleep. I saw an small unfamiliar smile come out. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose." he said. "Yeah," I said giving him a weak smile of my own, and flipping the blanket back, "It'll be just like when we use to nap on the couch." I said trying to make him feel better.

He probably misses that since we don't watch movies like we did when I was little. I always ended up falling asleep first, and then my mom would always end up having to wake us both up later. God I missed her. "Maybe it would help." he finally agreed before climbing in. I laid back down, and snuggled into him as I closed my eyes. I could feel sleep creeping up, and I let out a content sigh. At least I still had a dad....

"I felt sorry for him," Tammy spit out a little bitter, "I thought he was grieving, and I just wanted to help," she said fighting back tears, "I should have known it was all an act."

"You couldn't have known that."

"Not then, but I do now. I saw that smile more often. It always came out whenever I said something, or did something like he was expecting. Like he knew I was going to say or do whatever it was. Like he planned it." Tammy said the last part at a whisper.

"He probably did," Zack started trying to give her an explanation, "People that are good at manipulating can do that. All they need is a little control, and they can make a person say, and do whatever they want without the person even realizing it. Then they can use it against them later." Zack saw her try to hold back a sob as a few tears escaped. "That's what he did, didn't he?" Tammy nodded, "I just wanted to help," her voice cracked, but she bit it back, and wiped away the tears.

"After that first night, it happened a couple of other times. A few weeks later is when the touching started. He said it was my fault. My fault I reminded him of her. My fault I got him attached to me like that. I told him I didn't like it. I told him I didn't want him to touch me, but that just got me hit. It was my fault..."

"It was never your fault. It will always be his."

"I know, but then I didn't. He completely changed on me. He wasn't the same man I got to know over the years."

"How long has he been in your life?"

"Eleven years. My mom's company catered a few of the hospital he worked at, business and social events. They were a regular account for her. That where she met him. He was so good to us. It really seemed like he loved her. I didn't know who he was anymore. I didn't know what would set him off. I didn't know how to get him to stop. I was scared and confused. Disgusted and ashamed of myself," she told him looking down at her lap, "Then he moved us out here, and I had never felt more alone."

Tammy let out a sigh, and looked back up. This next part wouldn't be so hard. "I started school a few weeks late. People avoided me like the plague cause I was new, but I didn't care. At least I thought I didn't. People are judgmental and nosy. I didn't want anyone to know because I was sure they would look at me like I did myself. Then I met Kimmie."

"What made her different?"

"She was alone too. Her father left when she was twelve. Took her baby brother, who was two, with him. Left her with that worthless drunk whore of a mother." Tammy reached out, and shut the recorder off, but kept her hand on it. Zacky looked at her a little confused, and was about to protest, but she started talking again.

"Kimmie was crying on the bathroom floor the day I met her. She had a fight with her mom, and she hit her. On top of that she didn't have anything to cover the bruise with," Zacky understood then. She didn't want any evidence on Kimmie's home life.

"I was in one of the stalls doing the same thing, and heard her come in. It wasn't until I heard her crying that I came out. She sounded so hopeless, alone. She sounded like I felt, sounded like she needed someone. Just like I did. I just didn't really realize it. She let me cover the bruise, and I thought if she trusted me enough to see it, maybe I could trust her some. It was obvious she was a little unsure of me, but all of her friends abandoned her, so she didn't really believe I wanted her around," Tammy explain a little sad, but soon Zack saw the anger flood her eyes.

"Since the day her father left, that worthless mother of hers had made sure that she knew it was her fault. That he didn't want her. She was the reason he left, and that bitch has no problem telling her how much she couldn't stand her, and didn't want her around, and then her friends just drop her cause they didn't want to deal with her," she paused and took a breath to calm down a little.

"It only made me trust her more. She just wanted to feel like someone thought she was worth their time, and would do anything to hang on to that. But the more time we spent together, the more we realized it wasn't about wanting each other around. We needed each other."

Zacky felt some sadness flow through him when he started to realized what they were pulling apart. "You guys been through a lot together?" asked, and Tammy nodded. "More than you know." she whispered, and turned the recorder back on.

"My sixteenth birthday was the worst day of my life. I got a car, and my own credit card. I should have been happy, but I always believed it was to make himself feel better about what he was doing. Just like my allowance. He thought he could buy my silence, but none of it was worth it. I only stayed quiet to stay with Kimmie. Her birthday is the day after mine, and we were going to spend the two days together like we did the year before, but Nathan had other plans."

Tammy fought back the urge to cry. Zack had a feeling he knew what he was going to hear next, and it only made him more sick to his stomach. "He raped me that night," she sobbed out, "Without any care that it was my first time." She paused, and took a moment to regain her composure. "It was a birthday present," she said, and Zack could hear the bitterness in her voice, "He was going to make me a woman. No other man was going to touch me. I belonged to him."

Tammy quickly wiped away the tears. She was almost done. "Things took an even sharper turn for the worst. I finally broke down, and told Kimmie everything that was going on. She knew we fought, and that he hit my, but she didn't know about the other. I was too ashamed of myself. I thought she would leave me, but she didn't. I had to get it out, and she stayed by me, but as time went on, as it happened more, the more I just wanted to get out." she told him, and took off her bracelets. She laid her arms out on the table with her wrists up. Zacky took in the two, long, matching scars just as Brian said there would be.

"This was my first attempt. I thought he would be at work longer, and would come home to see what he caused, but he was already on his way home. He found me, saved my life, and even left me alone for awhile, but it didn't last."

"How many times has he done this to you?" Zack asked only because he had to. He didn't really want to know, but they could charge him for each separate count. "It's happened 36 more times since then." Tammy whispered, looking at her lap as she hugged herself. She remember everyone. She couldn't forget if she tried, but she couldn't forget if she wanted to. She knew he could be charged with each one, and she was counting on that.

Zacky let out a breath, and rubbed his eyes. Why the hell would someone want to stay in a house like that? "Kimmie caught him one night," Tammy continued with her story. Thirty-seven counts of rape wasn't the only charge she could tack on. "She had an argument with her mom, and came over. I gave her a key awhile before that, so she could just come in. She walked in on him tying me to the bed, and smashed a chair across his back," she explained, and Zack had to smile a little. It didn't stay out long though.

"She had managed to get one of my knots loosened before he got back up. He hit her, and she fell off the bed. I tried to kick him when he climbed over to get to her, but he was too fast. He was too pissed. He slammed her against the wall, and started to strangle her. I started to pull at the knot she had loosened with my teeth. I knew he was going to kill her. I got it free along with the other, and smashed my lamp over his head. He backhanded me, but ended up leaving us alone."

Zack let out a sigh, and shook his head a little. That's an attempted murder charge he could tack on now. This guy was going away for a long fucking time. "I started to get scared for her," Tammy continued on.

"I talked Nathan into getting her a phone, so she didn't come over again. She knew if I didn't answer, she couldn't come over. She stopped coming in the front door too. She was too afraid to be caught alone with him, so she used a latter to get in my window. I never thought it would be enough though to keep her safe. After that night, I was sure he would get rid of her if she became too much of a problem. So I was going to make sure she would never be put in that situation again," she said pausing for a moment to take a few deep breaths, "And I was going to free myself at the same time. All I had to do was get rid of myself, and it would all be over."

"Why didn't you just go to the police?"

"Because foster care can be just as bad if not worse."

"So you tried again?"

Tammy nodded slightly, "The upstairs hallway is open next to the stairs. There is a railing to keep anyone from falling off. I was going to hang myself from it. I would have been the first thing that motherfucker saw when he walked in the door. I didn't hear Kimmie come in my window from the hallway. I was standing on the railing about to jump when she pulled me off. I was so mad at her," Tammy said with a weak chuckle, "She had ruined my plan."

"Sounds familiar." Zacky said, and she knew what he was talking about. "Well your friends ruined an even bigger plan." she said a little sharp. Zacky gave her a look that said he wasn't going to get into his friends right now, and continued with his questioning. "Why don't you tell me about this plan then. It's obviously important to you two."

"That's because it was our entire life. I never spent the allowance fuckface gave me. It just got thrown in a box. Kimmie found out about it that night, and tried to talk me into using it to start my own company when I was on my own."

"What kind of company?"

"A catering company like my mom had. She taught me everything she knew. Even let me help out when she could, and I wanted to do the same thing. The more we talked about it though, the more we modified it, the more important it got. Kimmie has this knack for being able to capture a moment, or a scene at just the right time."

"Photography?"

"Yeah. I got her a high definition camera with a tripod, the whole works for her birthday one year. I even have some of her photos framed on my bedroom walls. We decided to start a company together. There are a lot of events that people look for caters and photographers. We were going to be a two-in-one, but the money I got for an allowance wasn't going to be enough, and we still had the problem with him."

"You were going to turn him in weren't you?"

"Yeah. We were going to do it a week before we turned eighteen. I wouldn't have gotten sent away, and he would have gotten arrested before he could take me away. Then we were going to use the money to support ourselves while I sued him for everything he was worth. That was going to start our company, and we would never have to worry about him again."

"Looks like to me, you had it all figured out, and from what you've told me, there's enough here to put him away for along time." Zack told her, and Tammy started to shake her head. "It's not enough." she whispered, and he looked at her confused. "He can go away for fifty or more years." he told her. "It's not enough," she repeated, "He can still get out on parole sooner." she said, and Zacky sighed. She was right. "Kimmie was always afraid he would go too far and kill me."

"You didn't worry about that?"

"No. It's not what he wanted. I was always afraid he would never let me go, but she was always so sure of it. Sure he would go too far. That's why I never told her what I'm about to tell you. I would have never been able to keep her from coming here herself if I did." Tammy told him, and she could see even more confusion on his face. "Promise me you won't tell her when you question her. She'll be so mad at me for keeping it a secret, but I just didn't want her to worry even more. I'll tell her soon." Zacky gave her a nod, feeling the curiosity creeping up. She took a deep breath before looking Officer Baker dead in the eyes. She had to put the final nail in Dr. Ross' coffin. "I think he killed my mom."

Notes

Ooohh did I stop that in a bad spot again? :P

Sorry this took longer than planned, but I had some out of the norm days. Promise you won't have to wait so long for the rest of this :)

Keep sending me your love the comments amazing <3