Page 98 of Caged
Marshall's hand pressed to his back, but he didn't say anything, which was good. Danny didn't want to talk right now. He just needed a minute to sit and absorb what he'd just heard. Life in prison wasn't what he'd expected, but he was extremely happy with the sentence. Even without the other two boys he'd been held with giving any sort of statement, the judge had seen the evil that was Larry Burns and taken away any chance of freedom he might have again.
It was a just sentence.
Danny wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "We can go."
Marshall nodded and stood. He was the only one there with him. Danny had told the rest of the STK team to stay away, not wanting to risk anyone linking them to being anyone close to him. Protecting the team was more important than having support. He knew they were all paying close attention and were there for him even if it wasn't in person.
As they walked out of the courthouse, reporters with cameras crowded around them. He shook his head, refusing to comment. He'd decided he'd said all he had to say in court and he didn't want to say more. As far as he was concerned, this put an end to his nightmare, and he wasn't going to keep it going by giving the media any statements.
Marshall stayed with him, pushing past the reporters, telling them to leave them alone.
Danny just ducked his head and let Marshall lead him to the car. It wasn't until they were safely locked inside it that the reporters finally backed off.
"They'll probably follow us home." Marshall sighed as he pulled the car out of the stall.
"We've gotten good at ignoring them." Danny closed his eyes, letting the stress of the day leave him. "Thanks for being there with me."
"There's no way I was going to let you face that alone."
"He looked sick."
"It's the effects of the castration."
"Good." Danny was glad that was another way Larry would suffer.
"You want to go somewhere besides home and avoid the press?" Marshall asked.
"No. I want to go home. I have one more thing I need to do before I can let this all go and put it behind me." He kept his eyes closed, schooling his face to not show how nervous he was about that one more thing. It was something he hadn't brought up to Marshall yet, though he doubted Marshall would complain. He wanted to get past his phobia of sex. Even if he had to be the one in control, he needed to prove to himself that he wasn't broken and that he could live a normal life, have a normal relationship. He wanted to give Marshall all of him and stop holding back because of his fears.
"What's that?" Marshall asked.
Danny opened his eyes. "I'll explain once we're home." The last thing he needed was to start talking about it now with Marshall driving. He didn't want to cause an accident. He also didn't want to get Marshall's hopes up because Danny wasn't sure he could follow through with his plans once they got home.
He'd talked to Jessica about it. He feared he'd hurt Marshall the way Larry hurt him, but she assured him that wouldn't happen. Marshall wanted this and knew how to do things so it wasn't painful. She'd reminded him that Marshall loved him and nothing the two of them had done up to now had been anything like what he'd faced when Larry touched him.
If he could get past this one roadblock in his life, he figured he could live a normal life. There were still things he couldn't do, things he doubted he ever could, but this one thing was important to him. It was important to them, even if Marshall said it wasn't.
His phone buzzed and he glanced down to see a text from Jeremy congratulating him on Larry getting life in prison. He smiled and returned one thanking him and the whole team, then shut off his phone. He didn't want the distractions.
"You're worrying me. You seem tense. You sure you're okay with everything today?" Marshall glanced over at him while they waited at a red light.
"Yeah, just getting used to the idea he's really going to be locked up forever. Seeing him was hard, especially when he smiled at me with that evil look in his eyes, but I'm glad I stood my ground. It was good to see him looking so weak." He rubbed his palms on his pant legs. "Now maybe I can let it all go."
"I'm here for you."
"I know. Thank you for that." Danny reached over and rested his hand on Marshall's thigh. "I couldn't have seen it through without you."
"And Faith." Marshall smiled.
"And Faith." She'd called him almost nightly to check in with him and help get him through the nervousness and worry. She seemed to know what he was thinking or feeling even before he did, putting words to emotions he couldn't understand. She'd probably done more to see him through this than Gary had. Meeting her was a blessing he would never forget.
As they pulled into the driveway, Danny glanced next-door at the house where he'd been kept. He seldom paid it much attention, but today, he did. He'd spent years there, wondering if he'd ever be free. He'd cried himself to sleep, wishing he could die. But it wasn't the house that caused it. He didn't see the structure as evil. It had been Larry. It was Larry who hurt him. Larry who made him suffer.
"I'm surprised they haven't put it up for sale yet," Marshall said as he opened Danny's door.
He hadn't even realized Marshall had gotten out of the car. "I hope whoever buys it makes it into a loving home."
"Me too." Marshall offered his hand. "Let's get inside before the media vans start showing."
