The next day, as promised, Johnny, Brian, Zacky, Matt and Val came to visit shortly after Marina had breakfast.

The teen eyed the blonde woman who came in quietly, holding Matt's hand.

“Honey, this is my wife Val. Val this is Marina.” Matt said, letting go of his wife so she could shake Marina's hand.

“Nice to meet you.” Val smiled.

“You too.” Marina returned her smile.

Soon, their was a quiet knock on the door. “Mr. Haner, Mr. Baker, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Seward a word.” Said officer Wright.

Matt pecked Val's cheek before all the men left the room to speak to the cop.

The cop took them to an empty conference room.

“Now, tell me how you all got Miss. Stow out of her home.”

“Just how we got her out or why we got her out?” Brian asked.

“Just answer the question, you can justify it afterward. I will not convict you of anything until I have all details.”

“Convict?” Johnny asked.

Wright nodded, and turned his attention back to Brian.

“Okay, well it took us a while to even find her house. When we did it was dark out and late, we went to find a door and Johnny found a side door that was broken. So, we went in and snuck up stairs and her father wasn't home. We went up stairs and found her room...”

“Tell me exactly what went on Mr. Haner.”

Brian licked his lips as the thought about how this could be taken wrong but he went on “I climbed over her as she slept. I put my hand over her mouth, waking her up, and said 'We aren't going to hurt you, Marina. We are going to take you away from here. Will you come with us willingly' she nodded. I got off her and she told us what to take with us. When we made it into the van she had Johnny go back in and get the diary.”

The cop wrote all this down. “And the diary depicts?”

“You'll have to ask Marina that one.” Matt spoke.

“And you're sure that, in her sleep, none of you touched Miss. Stow?”

They all screwed up their faces “We're sure.” Zack said, shivering.

“Alright, I have a few more questions then I'll speak with Miss Stow. It may be too soon to tell but, I think you have a case.”

They nodded.

Officer Wright asked a few more questions before he went to Marina's room. He asked her a few questions like if anyone that was currently visiting her touched her then regarding the diary.

“I'll give you a call tomorrow to let you know if you've got a case. I'd like to read that diary as well.”

Marina nodded, Zacky getting into the bag and handing the cop the book.

With that the cop left. The guys found out that Val and Marina had become friends in the time they were gone.

Before they knew it, it was the next day and a happy Zack came into Marina's room.

“Guess what!?”

“What?”

“You got a case, the court date is set for three days from now because you're leaving today!”

She smiled and held her arms out for a hug that he smiled and gave to her. “So here's some clothes, I'll be back soon with everyone.” He pecked her cheek and left the room.

Beaming, Marina stood slowly getting used to being on her feet and headed to the bathroom. She took a shower andgot dressed quickly realizing that these clothes wern't hers. She pulled out a new hair brush from the pile and took care of her hair before taking her time on her make up. She'd never had so much before! Marina changed her earrings for the first time since she'd pierced them herself in 6th grade.

Putting the sunglasses on the collar of her tank top and feeling better than ever, she skipped out of the bathroom and right into Brian's arms. She hugged him around his waist. “Thank you so much!”

He hugged her back. When she pulled out of the hug, he saw a spark in her eyes; a spark that he knew hadn't been seen by anyone in a long time.

“Thank you!” she hugged Matt next, then Johnny and Zack, even Val.

“I just met you but I like you.” She smiled and hugged the woman who was pleasantly surprised.

“I'm not going back to my father's am I?” She asked.

“No, never. You're coming with me. If you'd like that is.” Brian said.

She nodded. “Okay, well let's go. Michelle has been wanting to meet you.” He took her shoulder, grabbed her bag and they all exited the room.

“Who's Michelle?”

“My wife.”

“Oh.”

They were quiet as Brian signed Marina out, giving the receptionist his and his friends numbers to give to officer Wright.

He led her to his Jeep Cherokee and helped her in, the lift kit on the car made it about a foot taller.

Metallica played through the speakers as they pulled out of the parking lot. “So what's Michelle like?”
Brian turned down the music so he could hear more easily. “She's...wonderful. She's funny, sarcastic, brave, clever, smart, beautiful...”

Marina observed his voice and facial expression, how his eyes shown with love and affection as he spoke about his wife and how his lips curled up an a smile. How his voice softened.

Her father was never like this when he spoke of her mother, if he spoke of her.

She began to think that maybe Brian and Michelle could be the dad and mom she never had.

Her face broke into a smile at the thought.

They made their way to the nice part of town, the part Marina was afraid of because this is the neighborhood where Trina, Becca and Sonya live.

Her smile dropped as they kept driving down the nicely paved street.

Brian noticed this, and bit his lip for lack of something to say.

They pulled up at alarge house and Brian parked and turned off the car.

“Home sweet home.” he sighed.

She nodded and opened the door, grabbing her bag from the back seat before jumping out of the heightened car.

As she made her way to follow Brian up the path something red caught her attention. She looked over to see a tall boy with black hair with a red highlight in red plaid skinny jeans and a Five Finger Death Punch tee shirt that fit him tightly.

She stopped walking and watched him walk around the yard with his ear buds in.

Brian and Michelle smiled as they looked through the window at Marina who was oblivious.

“Classic case of the boy next door.” She grinned.

“Yep.” Brian smirked, he knew the neighbors kid was a nice boy, who had good taste in music.

He began to head for the door when Michelle grabbed his arm and pulled. “No! You're not gonna ruin it!”

He chuckled “Yeah, I am.” He kept walking despite Michelle's hold on him, he dragged her through the house, her shoes sliding on the floor.

She tripped and let go, seizing the opportunity, Brian made a dash for the door. More loud than needed he called “C'mon Marina!”

The boy in the lawn jumped and ripped his ear phones out. Marina just blinked at him, he smiled and waved.

Blushing furiously, she ran in the house.

“Asshole.” Michelle shoved her husband as he passed her in the door way.

He smirked and said nothing, going to the kitchen where he could hear Marina in the fridge.

“Marina?”

She got out of the refrigerator with a chicken wing in her hand.

“This is my wife Michelle, 'Chelle this is Marina.”

“Nice to meet you, I can tell we will get along well.” She smirked at the chicken wing.

“Nice to meet you too.” Marina took a bite of the wing and grinned.

“What a nice first impression.” Brian chucked as he left the room.

Michelle and Marina talked for a while until Brian called for her to send Marina to the living room.

“Wanna see the guest room?”

She nodded excitedly.

He grabbed her bag and headed up the stairs and down a hall, opening the door to show the teen the room she would occupy.

“It's just for a few days.” He said.

“I know, it's really nice Brian.” She hugged him after he put her bag on the bed.

He smiled and hugged her back.

“I'll uh, let you get settled in. You can get comfortable, but in an hour we are going shopping.”

“Okay, but why?”

“To get you new clothes, Michelle is ruthless.” He chucked.

Biting her lip, Marina nodded.

After putting her clothes in the dresser, she moved to the window and realized that the balcony was really close to the window of the next house over. Climb one thick branch and you'd be over to the other balcony.

She went out on the balcony and watched the boy from earlier play soccer with his dog.