"All rise for the Honorable Judge Humphries," the bailiff announced from the corner of the courtroom beside a prisoner clad in an orange jumpsuit.

It was just past nine in the morning. I'd gotten up early to drive to Regina's house, giving her a reassuring pep talk before heading to the firm to pick up some documents for court. It was a rainy, windy morning. There was no denying Chicago is the Windy City. Monica had enthusiastically cheered me on as I left the office, heading to the courthouse.

The county courthouse was loaded with attorneys and their clients waiting for proceedings. I watched several deputies escort prisoners through the hallways. The long halls were difficult to maneuver through due to it being so crowded. I sat down on a wooden bench outside courtroom 116. There was a whiteboard on a stand outside the courtroom doors that listed what time each hearing was going to be and what each hearing was for.

This wasn't my first time working on a protective order. I was used to the boring process of sitting in the courtroom with several other people who were there for the exact same thing, waiting for their names to be called. Each person who filed for a protective order got to speak to the judge in a short hearing in front of everyone else who was waiting on their own hearings. It usually took two hours for the judge to see everyone. There was normally about ten people who had filed. After the hearings were over, the judge would take a two hour break and then the next round of hearings would begin. I didn't envy the judge. It had to be tiring listening to all those people and their domestic violence stories all day.

About five minutes before the hearings began, Regina met me in the hallway. She'd dressed extremely well for the occasion, wearing a black pantsuit that almost matched mine and red heels. For a first-time hearing, she seemed a little overdressed, compared to all the other people in the courtroom who were dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts. Usually the attorneys were the only ones who dressed up for the first hearing. Most people didn't even dress nicely for the follow-up, which I didn't like, but then again I always thought it was more appropriate if everyone dressed professionally when seeing a judge. I thought it was better to be overdressed than underdressed. Besides, people generally take you more seriously if you look professional.

We entered the courtroom, taking seats in the front row. The room was large with big windows that desperately needed their blinds tilted. There was only one other attorney present. Most people didn't bother with attorneys for these things until the follow-up hearing, if at all.

The judge was a few minutes late. We'd been sitting there for ten minutes, which seems like forever when you're anxiously awaiting something. Regina kept glancing around the courtroom nervously and I patted her arm in attempt to reassure her that everything was going to be fine. The first hearing was the easy part.

Twenty-three people including us stood in unison as Judge Humphries entered the room, taking a seat at the bench, swearing everyone in and telling everyone to be seated again. I'd met Judge Humphries before. She was a short, middle aged woman with shoulder length brown hair. She never appeared approachable, but I'd tried on a few occasions to strike up a conversation with her outside the courtroom anyway, just trying to be friendly. In the legal system, it helped to know people. If you made a good connection with someone, a lot of times it would end up benefitting you, sometimes tremendously. I always tried to give judges a great impression of me, hoping they'd remember me later and maybe something good would come of it.

"Maria Constantinova," Judge Humphries called the first person on her list.

A rail-thin young woman with long raven black hair and a bright pink tank top stood up, walking toward the bench. Judge Humphries looked through the paperwork Maria had filled out, explaining why she needed a protective order.

"Is all this true to the best of your knowledge?" the judge asked her, looking down at Maria through dark framed glasses.

"Yes," she answered quietly.

The next several minutes were a blur of the judge letting Maria reiterate what had happened, followed by the judge granting a temporary protective order until the follow-up hearing. I was pleased to hear Regina's name called next, glad that we wouldn't have to sit there listening to several other people before us.

"Regina Evans," Judge Humphries said unenthusiastically, sounding like she'd rather be anywhere else at the moment.

I gave Regina an encouraging nod as she stood up, walking a few feet ahead, standing beside a long narrow table that sat in front of the bench.

The judge skimmed over Regina's writing on the multitude of papers I helped her fill out. I noticed the judge frown as she continued reading one part, appearing concerned. I wasn't used to Judge Humphries showing much emotion and while that might not have been much, it was a lot coming from her.

"Is all this true to the best of your knowledge?" Judge Humphries repeated her previous question, looking down at Regina.

By the looks of it, Regina was about to crack under pressure. She turned to look at me with a worried frown.

"Miss Evans," the judge said, sounding irritated.

I stood up, butting into the conversation since it didn't look like Regina could squeak a word out. "Your Honor," I said, standing beside Regina.

"Who are you?"

I was disappointed she didn't remember me.

"Carrie Donovan, Your Honor," I answered. "I'm Miss Evans' attorney."

"Counselor, approach the bench," Judge Humphries sighed, waving me forward.

I stepped up to the large wooden structure, waiting for the judge to say something else.

"Is your client unable to speak?" she asked, still frowning.

"No ma'am."

"Go back," she said, shooing me back to my spot beside Regina.

"Miss Evans," Judge Humphries said again, practically glaring at her. "Is all this true to the best of your knowledge?"

I elbowed Regina in the side, knowing the judge wasn't interested in hearing me speak for her and if she didn't say anything, we wouldn't be getting that protective order.

"Yes, Your Honor," Regina finally answered.

I breathed a sigh of relief, glancing across the room at the bailiff who looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Tell me what happened," Judge Humphries said, setting the papers down.

Regina hesitated for a second but started to speak, telling the judge everything she'd told me when she first asked me to be her attorney. She told her about the many times Jared had slapped her and threatened to hurt her, and about the most recent incident, yesterday, when he'd wrecked her house.

"Sounds like you got a real problem," the judge shook her head, picking up the papers again. "I'm going to grant an emergency protective order that will last for thirty days. A follow-up hearing is set for May twenty-second at nine. You must be present for this hearing or I will not grant another protective order. Do you have any pets or family members you would like this protective order to include?"

Regina lived alone without any animals, though I kept telling her she should get a cat or something. Jared had never bothered her family or friends so that didn't seem to be a problem.

"No ma'am," Regina answered.

"Miss Evans," Judge Humphries continued. "I do recommend you speak with Ashley or Mandy in the back. They're with the Department of Violence Intervention Services. They might be of some help to you in this situation."

Regina nodded, smiling softly as she glanced behind us to the two girls about our age sitting in the back row of the courtroom.

"And counselor," the judge addressed me. "I do expect your client to speak when spoken to next time."

"Yes ma'am," I nodded.

An older woman who had been sitting the left of the judge approached us, handing me Regina's paperwork that Judge Humphries had signed.

"Take these back to the second floor and get a copy of the emergency protective order at the first desk on your left," she told us. "Get these stamped."

As Judge Humphries called up the next person, Regina and I left the courtroom. One of the girls from DVIS followed us out, stopping us in the hallway.

"Regina, I'm Ashley," the blonde said with a warm smile. "I'm with DVIS. Here's my card. If you need anything, you can call us and we'll help. We're open twenty-four seven. Do you have any questions?"

"I don't think so," Regina responded, sliding Ashley's card in the back pocket of her black slacks.

Ashley smiled. "Okay. Just call if you think of something or you need to talk to anyone."

"Thank you," I said as Regina and I walked away.

We went upstairs, waiting in line for several minutes before finally getting to speak to the crabby woman behind the desk. She quickly stamped filed and the date in the top right corner of each page. The woman then walked away to make copies and returned with Regina's emergency protective order.

Finally, we were finished at the courthouse for the day and I was looking forward to lunch with Monica. I'd gotten up a little later than I should have and didn't have time to eat breakfast. My stomach was kicking up such a fuss in the courtroom, I was surprised Judge Humphries hadn't asked what on earth was making the bullfrog sound.

Regina and I parted ways in the parking lot across the street. I told her I was proud of her for sticking it out. We decided to have a recap meeting the day before the follow-up just to refresh our memories and be properly prepared for the next hearing, which I only half-expected Jared to show up for. Although, if the police arrested him before then, he'd have to be at the hearing, but in an orange jumpsuit, which I enjoyed imagining him in. Jail looked good on him.

I pulled my visor down as I merged onto the interstate down the street from the courthouse. My shades weren't quite doing the trick on such a bright day. I was surprised the rain had cleared out so fast. I'd expected it to still be storming when we left. I grabbed my phone from one of the cup holders, dialing Nick's number as I headed toward the restaurant Monica wanted to meet up at in Des Plaines.

"What's up, Buttercup?" Nick answered on the third ring with a chuckle.

"You're awfully cherry today," I giggled.

"I got some good leads."

"You're in the office, aren't you?" I asked, assuming he was somewhere in the vicinity of Derek and his coworkers.

"Unfortunately."

"I'm on the way to meet Monica for lunch," I told him. "Regina and I just got done with court."

"How'd it go?" he asked, suddenly sounding very interested.

"We got the temporary," I smiled in victory, taking an exit off the highway. "Follow-up's in a month."

"That's awesome, babe!" Nick said excitedly.

It occurred to me that Derek had never gotten excited about anything I accomplished in a workday. He'd never congratulated me. Anytime I'd told him about something that had happened at work that I was happy about, he said something to the effect of cool and proceeded to tell me about his day, which was apparently a thousand times more important, because it's obviously so much more exciting to sit at a desk all day barking out orders to your coworkers than it is to work on high stress court cases and win the majority of them. It made me really happy that Nick actually seemed to give a shit about my day and my job.

"You've got to tell me about those leads after work," I said, stopping at a red light beside a teenage boy whose speakers were blasting music loud enough to rattle every lane of traffic.

"I will," Nick said, sounding like he was typing. "Tell Monica I said hey."

"Will do," I smiled. "By the way, did you ever get those groceries out of your trunk?"

"Oh, fuck!" he blurted out. "I completely forgot!"

"That milk's going to taste real good now," I joked.

"I'll let you do the taste testing."

The more I got to know Nick and spend time with him, the more I liked him. He made me happier in a week than Derek had in three years. I didn't understand how that was possible, considering I still barely knew the man, but I felt like I'd known him all my life. I really hoped our friendship or relationship or whatever it was continued to progress into something more. I didn't want him to be a fuck buddy. It was obvious there were feelings between us and that we weren't just having sex for the hell of it, but I wanted there to be more to it. I wanted to give a relationship a chance at some point. After Derek's crap and how mad I was at him, I didn't think it was going to take me that long to get over him. It occurred to me that I might never have even loved him. I might have just thought I did because he had me fooled.

I turned the corner at the intersection beside The Onion, a funky little restaurant Monica and her sister liked to go to when Annie came to town to visit. When I walked in, Monica was still at a booth not too far from the entrance, sipping on a margarita in one of the biggest glasses I've ever seen. I gestured to the hostess that I was going to sit with someone as I passed her, heading to the booth.

"This early?" I raised my eyebrows at her drink.

Monica grinned, poking the ice cubes with her straw. "It's five o'clock somewhere, right?"

I shook my head, giggling and sitting down across from her. There was a tall glass of Coca Cola in front of me but no menu in sight.

"I ordered for you," she said, answering my question before I said anything. "Seafood medley and a Coke. I know you so well."

"This is why I love you," I smiled, watching the waitress bring our food to the table.

"So how did-"

"It went great," I grinned, knowing Monica was going to ask about the hearing. "We got the EPO. Judge Humphries was a joy as always."

Monica giggled at my sarcasm. "What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I have to type up some shit for Regina's file and refresh my memory on some issues for a couple meetings I have this week," I said, stabbing a piece of lobster with my fork.

"While you have the free time," she said, digging into the lobster ravioli she always ordered. "You should go by Derek's office."

"If you want me to barf, please wait until after I finish eating," I rolled my eyes at the thought of seeing Derek.

"Well, have you told him yet?" she asked, referring to my choice to call of our relationship.

I shook my head. "Maybe if I ignore him long enough, he'll just magically disappear."

"You know he's not going to just poof and never be heard from again. You're going to have to do something, Carrie. Personally, I think it would be hilarious if you officially dumped him in front of all his coworkers. Embarrass the fuck out of him."

"I'll think about it."

"So what's going on with Nick?" she asked, anxious to hear anything I had to say about Nick and me.

"He said he got some leads though. He's going to tell me about it tonight."

"On Derek's thing?" Monica asked, eyes widening as she loudly chewed her food.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"You have to call me after he tells you," she said excitedly. "You have to tell me everything."

If any mature adult could act like an immature sixth grader in two seconds flat, it was Monica. Her personality cracked me up.

I was anxious to hear what Nick had to say, hoping he'd gained enough evidence to arrest Derek now. I briefly entertained the idea of telling Derek we were over as he sat in a jail cell. I knew Monica was right. I had to say something to Derek since he hadn't technically broken up with me but I really didn't want to be anywhere near him. It definitely sounded best to talk to him at work, though. Hampton, Burns and Hampton had a fair amount of security personnel and I knew they'd keep everything civil. I just didn't want to piss off Derek and give him a reason to come banging on my door for revenge.