Justice

Disclaimer: I don't own High Mountain Rangers or Jesse Hawkes, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Rating: FRT

Warnings: Angst

Justice
Chapter 11


“Dad, can I talk to you?” Matt hesitantly asked. At his father's nod, he sat down on the edge of the porch. Following his father's gaze, he wasn't surprised to see his brother once again in the corral with Cooper. It had been two weeks since they had come back here, two weeks since Cody had spoken, he had yet to speak again. “I think we need to see about getting Cody some counseling,” he blurted out.

Jesse nodded, “I think you're right,” he quietly responded.

Matt jerked, turning to stare at his father. “You do?”

Jesse chuckled, “You don't have to sound so surprised.”

He gave his father a sheepish smile, “Sorry, I just expected...”

“An argument,” Jesse finished for him. “I'll admit if you had suggested the same thing last week you would have gotten one.”

“But now?”

“I'm not blind Matt, I can see that your brother needs help we can't give him,” Jesse easily admitted. He had watched Cody over the past two weeks and while there had been some small improvement. He wasn't as tense as he had been when they'd first arrived home and he flinched less often now. Unfortunately those were the only signs of improvement. The first night in the cabin their sleep had been disturbed by the screams coming from Cody's room, two weeks later they were still a nightly occurrence. Yet, he still refused to speak. Even the conversations they'd had on paper hadn't yielded any further information about what Rassy had done to his youngest. Whether he feared their reaction or simply wasn't ready to speak of the hell he'd endured, Jesse had no idea. He suspected that it was a bit of both, but with Cody's unwillingness to speak of that time suspicion was all he had.

Matt couldn't contain the relieved sigh, he'd expected he'd have to argue at least half the day to get his father to agree. The reasons he had prepared were no longer needed and it took him a few minutes to gather his scattered thoughts. “I hope you don't mind, but when I went to town yesterday I called the doctor that treated Cody. He gave me the name of a psychiatrist in Tahoe,” he said, handing his father a small piece of paper. “He said Dr. Stone specializes in helping people who are emotionally or mentally traumatized.”

“When's the first appointment?” Jesse bit back a small chuckle at the pole-axed look on Matt's face. “I know you pretty well son,” he smiled. “You wouldn't want to delay the counseling. You would have made an appointment and then you would have argued until I gave in.”

Matt shook his head, amazed that his father knew him so well. “Monday at eleven, I thought we could get lunch afterwards, if Cody wants to.”

Jesse nodded, “I wouldn't count on him wanting to go anywhere, but we can always get something to go.”

“Yeah, that's why I was planning to order ahead of time,” Matt grinned. “I thought we could stop at the trail head and have lunch.”

“Think you're pretty smart,” Jesse mock grumbled.

“Nope,” Matt smirked, “I know I am.”

Jesse turned his attention back to Cody. “I hate to upset him and this is going to do it,” he sighed.

“You want me to tell him?” Matt offered.

He considered it, for about five seconds and then dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. “No, I'll take care of it.” He stood up, “No time like the present.” He'd never been one to put off an unpleasant task, now wasn't any different.

Matt remained on the porch, watching quietly as his father approached his brother. He smiled softly as a strong hand was laid on Cody's shoulder, his father leaning close, speaking quietly as he told his brother about the upcoming appointment with Dr. Stone. The sudden tenseness of Cody's back told him the moment the news had been given. He braced himself, ready to chase his brother down and bring him back. The slump of the younger man's shoulders told him that Cody had accepted the fact that he would have to speak to a stranger about the horrors he'd been through. Silently he prayed that his brother would be able to open up to Dr. Stone, that he would let her help him to recover.

Monday came too soon for Cody. When his father had told him about the appointment that had been made for him, he had felt as if a pit had opened and he was standing on the edge of it. How was he supposed to keep master's secrets if they made him see a doctor? He'd never been to a counselor before, but he knew that people like this Dr. Stone were trained to get the truth out of people. He didn't hold out much hope that he would be able to remain silent about his time with master. His father had insisted, however, that he needed to see this new doctor, that he needed help and he had to let her help him. He had known then that he had lost. He would have to see Dr. Stone, whether he liked it or not.

“You ready son?” Jesse asked from the doorway. He grimaced when Cody jumped, once more he fought the urge to drive to the prison and kill Rassy for what he'd done to his youngest.

Cody nodded, slipping his pencil and pad of paper into his pocket, he followed his father downstairs and outside. He swallowed his disappointment when he saw the three horses saddled and ready for travel. He had hoped for a few more minutes delay. With a heavy sigh, he moved to Cooper's side, and heaved himself into the saddle.

The ride down the mountain was quiet. Cody hadn't spoken since that first day home and neither Jesse or Matt felt like talking just then. As they rode lower, trees thinned out, giving way to expanses of cleared land and before any of them was quite ready the town of Tahoe came into sight. With Matt in the lead, they rode to the Ranger station on the edge of town, exchanging the horses for Frank's pick-up, Matt having radioed the day before to make the arrangements.

As they pulled into the driveway of Dr. Stone's office, Cody turned to his dad, a plea in his eyes. Jesse swallowed hard. He wanted more than anything to give his son the answer he wanted, but he knew that Cody needed this, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Tamping down on the urge to release his son from the task ahead of him, he reassuringly patted the boy's hand. “It'll be okay Cody,” he softly assured his son.

Cody sighed, he hadn't expected his father to change his mind, but he had been unable to resist trying. A minute later he was following his father through the door of the the doctor's office, his brother behind him. While his father signed him in, Matt led him to a set of comfortable looking chairs. He was relieved that there were three together like this, he'd feel less nervous with his family surrounding him. With that thought in mind, he took the center chair. Matt sat down in the chair on his left, leaving the one on the right for their father.

“You doing okay son?” Jesse quietly asked when he joined them. He sighed at the short, jerky nod he received in response. He supposed it was the most he could hope for at the moment. They weren't there long when the doctor stepped into the waiting room.

“Mr. Hawkes?” the graying doctor asked.

“Yes ma'am,” Jesse replied, standing up and making the introductions.

Carol Stone waved him back to his seat before she kneeled in front of Cody. “Hello Cody,” she softly greeted her young patient. “I'm Dr. Stone, I look forward to getting to know you,” she continued with a smile, ignoring the lack of response coming from the young man in front of her. “First, however, I'd like to spend a few minutes talking to your dad, is that okay with you?” She didn't really expect a response, and she wasn't disappointed. This was the way she handled all of her patients, always giving them the chance to object to something if it bothered them. Even when she knew there was unlikely to be a response, still she offered them the chance...eventually, all but the most hopeless case would respond. She pushed herself to her feet, “Mr. Hawkes if you could come with me please.”

“I'll be right back son,” he whispered to Cody. Standing up, he followed the doctor from the waiting room and into her office.

Carol turned around, facing Jesse and leaned against the edge of her desk. “You seem like the type of man who doesn't waste time beating around the bush,” she said.

“You're a good judge of character,” he smiled.

“When Ranger Kelly made the appointment for your son she gave me only the barest of information, could you tell me what's going on with Cody?”

Jesse took a deep breath, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Two months ago a man with a grudge against my family escaped from prison. He tracked us down in San Fransisco. Cody was home alone, when my older son and I returned we walked into a nightmare.” He went on to tell her of the events that occurred in that warehouse and the deal Cody had made with the devil.

“How did that make you feel?” Carol interrupted him.

He glared at her, “How the hell do you think it made me feel?” He instantly felt ashamed. It wasn't Dr. Stone's fault that his son had been hurt. “I'm sorry,that was uncalled for.”

“It's quite alright Mr. Hawkes, I would have been surprised if you hadn't become angry. I would like an answer to the question though,” she pushed on.

He sighed, “I felt helpless, terrified and furious,” he admitted.

“Understandable, and what do you feel now?”

“Why are you asking about me? You're supposed to be helping Cody,” he snapped.

“I am helping Cody,” she solemnly replied. “Cody wasn't the only one hurt by this man, you and your other son suffered too.”

“Maybe so, but you should focus on Cody.”

“Oh I will Mr. Hawkes, make no mistake about that. However, you must realize that this situation has been and will affect your entire family, not just Cody. I want you to be aware of what you're feeling as well and know that if you ever need to talk you are welcome to come to me. Even if it's just to get a referral to one of my colleagues,” she added with a smile.

He nodded, “I hadn't thought of that and to answer your question I still feel helpless and angry,” he admitted.

“With yourself too I'd wager. Don't answer that right now Mr. Hawkes, just give it some thought,” she told him before he could get a word out. “Now, tell me about what happened after Cody was found.” By the time Jesse had finished, she felt sick, though she hid it well. “Thank you for sharing that with me Mr. Hawkes, I know it couldn't have been easy. Just know that it will help me in treating Cody.”

“Do you think there's hope that he can recover?” he hesitantly asked.

“Yes and no,” she replied. She smiled softly at the puzzled look he shot her way. “The fact that you were able to get him to communicate through writing is a very good sign, especially considered how relatively quickly that occurred. That being said, you must understand that Cody will never be the boy he was before this experience. Every experience we go through affects who we are, the more traumatic the experience the greater the effect. I believe there is hope that, with time, Cody can become a self-sufficient, reasonably well adjusted young man.”

Jesse nodded, feeling a bit of hope. “Is there anything else I can tell you?”

“Not at this time,” she replied. “I believe now would be a good time to speak with Cody and perhaps you could let Matt know that I'd like to speak to him after I talk to Cody.” She walked him back to the waiting room, returning to her office a short time later with the youngest of the Hawkes family.

Cody sat down, his eyes on the floor. He didn't know what to expect, but the doctor sitting down next to him wasn't it.

“Do you have anything you'd like to ask me Cody?” Carol asked, her voice friendly and light. She wasn't surprised when the only response was a quick head shake. “Okay, well then I'll ask you some questions if that's okay.”

He shrugged, he didn't know why she was asking.

“Can you tell me why you won't talk?” Many in her position would have started with expressing sympathy, she had dealt with enough crime victims however to know that they often reacted badly to such expressions. It was her belief that the best way to help a victim was to speak to them as she would anybody else, effectively forcing them to see themselves as so much more than just a victim. She waited patiently while Cody wrote on the notepad he pulled from his pocket. Taking it, she read what he'd written.

“Your master told you not to talk?” she asked for confirmation. “What will happen if you talk?” Again she waited as the young man next to her wrote out his answer in a shaky hand. “I see, but your father told me you spoke a couple of weeks ago and yet you're still here, as is your family,” she carefully pointed out. They continued on in this vein until it was time for the session to come to an end. Walking back to the waiting room, she left her patient in the care of his father with instructions for him to set up an appointment for the following week.

“Matt could I speak to you for a moment?” she quietly asked.

Sighing heavily, he stood and followed her back down the hall to her office.

“How are you holding up under all of this?” she asked without preamble.

Matt shrugged, “I'm managing,” he mumbled.

“It's not easy, though, is it?”

“No, but I'm not the important one here.”

“Of course you are,” she countered. “How do you expect Cody to heal if you and your father don't?”

“Look Doctor Stone my dad already told me what you said to him so I'll save you some time. Yes I'm angry and it hurts to watch my little brother suffering, knowing I can't do anything about it, but I'll deal with that on my own.”

Carol sighed, god save her from stubborn men. “I'm sure you'll do your best, just remember that you don't have to.”

“I'll remember,” he mumbled. “Is that all?”

“Yes that's all,” she replied. Sadly she watched him leave her office. She hoped that for Cody's sake if nothing else the other members of his family would let somebody help them deal with their own emotions.


The weeks passed, turning into months and to Carol Stone's pleasure she found herself having sessions with Cody's entire family, as well as still seeing Cody by himself. The whole family was making great progress, the older two finally having accepted that it was okay to be angry with Cody for giving himself over to a madman. Once they had accepted that, they had been able to work through that anger, on their own and with Cody. Now, three months into therapy, that anger was no longer affecting their interactions with the youngest.

She smiled when she remembered the tears and recriminations that had been shed the day they'd finally acknowledged their anger, not only to themselves but to Cody. It had been hard for Cody to hear the anger directed at him, but he had come a long way in his therapy. By the time the session, running into overtime, had ended, he had accepted that they had a right to their anger, but that he needn't feel guilt for the decision he had made. It had helped, of course, when both Matt and Jesse admitted that they would have done the same in Cody's shoes. That had also been the first day Cody had spoken aloud since that first day at his father's cabin. That it had been to defend himself, rather than others had been a significant turning point for the young man.

Following that session, progress had continued at a fast pace. Cody had shed many tears in her office as he recounted the nightmare he had endured at the hands of Larry Rassy. As with most victims, it had helped him immensely to tell another human being about the horrors he'd faced. It had been during one of these times that talk turned to the way he had been found and what it might mean. It had been a great relief to his family to discover that Cody hadn't suffered through rape, though it had been used as a threat against him. The plug had apparently been a way of humiliating him, while reminding him that he could be used by Rassy or others at any time his captor chose to take that step. Keeping him naked and chained had just been one more act of humiliation meant to keep him in his place.

Carol glanced at the clock, it was almost time. Making a final note in the file, she put it in her briefcase and stood up. Cody was sure he was ready for this step and she agreed. She would, however, be there to help pick up the pieces if they were wrong.


“Are you sure about this son?” Jesse asked for the tenth time that day.

Cody smiled sadly, understanding his father's concern. “No, but I'm as ready as I'll ever be.” He turned to the older man, “I have to do this dad, if I don't then I'll never really be free.” His deep blue eyes plead with his father to accept his need to do this.

“Doesn't mean I have to like it,” he lightly grumbled. “I will accept it though and I'll be right there with you.”

“No,” Cody shook his head. He hadn't told his father about this part. “I have to do this alone if it's going to mean anything.”

“Cody...”

“Dad please, I need to do this.”

Jesse sighed, “Can I at least come inside with you?”

“I was hoping you would,” Cody replied, shooting him a nervous smile. “Looks like Matt and Carol are here,” he had long since stopped calling her Dr. Stone, at her insistence.

Jesse turned his head to see Matt pull up next to him, the good doctor in the passenger seat. Taking a deep breath, he got out of the truck, meeting Cody at the front of it. “I want you to remember Cody that there is no shame in turning back. If you decide you're not ready for this, then we'll come back when you are.”

Cody nodded, “Thanks dad.” Bracing himself, he led the way towards the prison.

Even having made arrangements ahead of time, it still took a good hour to process through and into the visiting area of the prison. Wiping sweaty palms on his pants, Cody left his family behind and strode into the visitor's room with a confidence he wasn't entirely feeling. This would be the first time since his rescue that he had seen Larry Rassy. He hadn't even faced him at the trial, the judge allowing him to be questioned in chambers, allowing him to avoid the need to see his captor. He sat down at in an empty seat and waited. A moment later Rassy was brought in, flanked by two guards who roughly shoved him into the chair across from Cody. Swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, he picked up the phone.

“What are you doing here dog?” Rassy growled into the receiver.

“I'm not a dog,” Cody calmly replied. The look of shock on Rassy's face gave him the confidence to go on, clearly the man hadn't expected him to break free. “I came to tell you that you lose Rassy.”

“Do I?” Rassy smirked. He wasn't ready to give up on the torment he had inflicted on the boy before him. “You're not as free as you think you are boy. You're nothing but a worthless dog, it's all you'll ever be. Every time you look in the mirror you'll know that you're mine, nothing will ever change that.”

Cody stared at him for a full minute. His laughter surprised him as much as it did Rassy, but man did it feel good. “You're a walking cliché Rassy, “ he told him once he'd calmed down. “Goodbye prisoner 4732118,” he coldly said before calmly hanging up the receiver. Standing up, he walked away without a backward glance. Stepping out of the visiting area, he rejoined his family and doctor a smile spreading across his face. He was finally free of the man who had terrorized him for so long.

The End

Sorry it took so long to finish this, thank you to all those who stuck with me until the end. Please review and tell me what you think.