"Please tell the court the information that you know that would be important to this case," Mr. Lansing said, allowing Adam the freedom to speak his mind.

Adam had been waiting for this for a long time and he was extremely nervous. He looked at Jason, who flashed him a reassuring grin. Adam had made up his mind that he was going to be strong.

"I was seven and I was playing with my train in my room when I heard some strange noises coming from the guest room. I went down the hall and peered into the room. I saw my uncle on top of my cousin Maria, his daughter by the way. I thought that they were wrestling at the time, but she was crying. He continued to take her shorts off while I stood there watching at the door. I saw everything and I remember not being able to figure out what was going on. I was just seven and our father would wrestle around with us sometimes, but he never hurt us and we never cried. I must have made a noise because he got up and saw me. I tried to get away, but Bill caught me," Adam said as he caught his breath. It was difficult to recount the events of that night, but so far Adam was keeping his cool. By retelling the events to Chuck, Craig and his brother, it helped him to keep his emotions in tact for the real thing.

"What did he say to you after discovering that you had seen what he had done?" Mr. Lansing said quietly.

"He mostly shook me and yelled obscenities. He also told me that I could not have been from the Kramer bloodlines and kept saying that I could not be my father's son. He threatened me about telling anyone and after beating me, he locked me in the closet," Adam said, looking down at his shoes. His legs were shaking uncontrollably and he still did not dare look at his father.

"So did you tell anyone?"

"No, not until I heard about this incident. Maria made me promise to never tell. After that night, I never saw her again until a few days ago. I tried to get her to testify, but she wants to remain hidden from her father. I knew I had to come forward because I don't want this happening again. If I would have told, these two girls may not have been his victims and I do want to apologize for that. But I was scared and afraid. He beat me every chance that he got. I always covered for him and made excuses to my parents and brother," Adam said, looking to the judge this time.

"When was the last time that he assaulted you?"

"When he brought me home from school the other day. I asked him why and he said that he was doing it as a favor. To teach the young girls how to please their husbands when they were older. He said that fathers did not do it so he must do it," Adam replied looking at Bill, who was glaring at him. Adam knew that if they found him not guilty, he was really going to be in for it. "He made some threats about telling and said he would do the same to my girlfriend if I came forward. I got mad and struck out at him and he hit me."

"So why did you come forward now?"

"He has to be stopped before he ruins other lives. I will never forget what he did to my cousin and me. It was hard to keep that secret all this time from my family, but I had to step forward when he violated someone else. Bill is manipulative, cruel and should be put away from society. If he did this to his own daughter, then he will do this to anyone's daughter."

Jason was proud of his younger brother. So far Adam had kept his cool and was doing a great job on the stand, but would James cross-examine him? He looked over at his father who was listening to every word.

Jason could tell that he was very confused, hurt, and in shock. Mr. and Mrs. Kramer were very good parents and loved their sons dearly. Mr. Kramer would go to any lengths to protect them. To find out that someone, especially a relative, had hurt one of his children when they were younger must be unbearable, Jason thought to himself. He knew that he felt guilty as well about not knowing about Adam's physical abuse. He figured that his father was trying to recount a lot of things as Adam was testifying before him against his own "brother".

"So you allege that you saw your uncle molest his own daughter over ten years ago," James commented to Adam. It was apparent that he was visibly shocked as well, but knew that he had to defend his client. Adam fully understood that.

"Yes, that IS what I saw."

"You said the you didn't tell because Bill threatened you. How exactly did he threaten you? I mean your father is involved in law enforcement and always has been since before you were born," James responded.

"He would beat me and threatened to harm my family, even years after this happened, if I ever told. I always thought that if he harmed Maria, then he would hurt my family as well. So I covered for him and my own bruises. Plus not to mention of how shameful that we let him do something like this. That is hard to have to face up to let alone tell someone. He violated Maria and abused my family's trust," Adam said, looking at James. It was one of the first times that he did look up since he reached the stand. Then he looked towards his father, who was listening very intently to his youngest son.

"I am sorry for not telling you and lying to you about the bruises. I also believed that he might hurt you guys or cause you and mom to hate me. I could not handle it if I lost my family like that. I also know that I would back Jason with all I have because he is my brother. I didn't want to come between you and your brother." It was then that Adam started to show his emotions as he started to tremble. "I also didn't want you to know that I would have allowed such behavior in your own house." Mr. Kramer just wanted to go up there and hold his son, but he knew that Adam had to finish what he had started, even if it was against Bill. Mr. Kramer nodded approvingly to his son and then bowed his head. It was obvious that he was having a hard time controlling his emotions. Jason himself felt like he was going to become upset, but he knew that Adam was depending on him to be the strong one.

"So you truly believed that he would cause harm to your family. Fine, but how do we know that you are not getting things mixed up? Didn't you have an accident not too long ago?" James came back. Adam was surprised at first, but then answered the question.

"Yes, I was involved in an accident."

"Were you injured in that accident?"

"Yes, I suffered brain trauma. Why?" Adam said with a little apprehension. He was beginning to become irritated with James.

"How do we know for sure that your memory is intact? Maybe Bill was just wrestling with his daughter and now some things got crossed in your head," James commented walking towards Adam. Adam was furious now. He knew that his memory had not been altered. In a way, he truly wished that it had been washed away so he would not have to live with the fact that Bill hurt someone else.

"Only my short-term memory was hampered. My long-term memory is just fine, James," Adam said with a stern voice. "I can prove it because I wrote everything down when I was in seventh grade in a notebook. You will be able to note that my testimony matches what is written and you can even have it tested so you will know that I did write it a few years ago."

"I would be interested in that document. Where is it?" the judge, who had remained silent throughout the trial, said. He looked at Adam for an answer.

"I will have to get it because I put it in a very safe place. My brother has read it though. He is the one that located the notebook to begin with before I even told him," Adam replied in response to the judge's inquiry. "But it exists."

"Adam, with all due respect, how do you expect the court to believe you now after not saying anything for years. Everyone knows that you do not like your uncle right?" James said, still trying to make sense of everything. Adam's testimony had really shocked him as well because he knew that Adam did not lie, but he had to defend Bill. "By the way, I do want to see this notebook when it is presented." The judge nodded at his request.

"No, I do not like Bill. Can you blame me? But I have a question for you James?" Adam said, with tears starting to swell in his eyes. James chuckled at first.

"Adam, you can't question me."

"You said that I basically have to prove to the court that they should believe that me, well I have a way to do just that."

"Okay Adam, what is it?"

Adam leaned forward and looked James square in the eye. Without even a hesitation, Adam asked "Would you trust your daughter alone with him after hearing what everyone has said today?"

James' face went white. He was about to answer when a female in a short gray dress suit walked through the doors. Everyone could hear the clatter of her high heels on the hard wooden floor as she walked up to the front of the court area and took off her sunglasses. Adam knew who it was the minute she walked through the door and he felt his heart skip a beat.

"Well sir, aren't you going to answer my cousin's question? I know that I would not stay a minute with him alone and I am his own flesh and blood!" Maria said with attitude. She did not even look at her father, who by now was visibly nervous about is freedom. James lowered his head, almost in defeat while the rest of the courtroom stared at Maria in astonishment. As the whole courtroom erupted into chatter at her entrance, she flashed Adam a smile. The judge, who was also taken back by the surprise entrance, came to life.

"Order! I need order!" He shouted, until everyone quieted down. "I think in light of new findings in this case, we will recess until tomorrow. I would however, like to meet with both lawyers and the young lady in my chambers immediately." With that he smacked his gavel and the court recessed until the following day. Adam saw the lawyers and his cousin go into the judge's chambers. He knew everything was going to be all right. He looked up and he saw the glare of his uncle pierce right through him. Bill was still sitting at the defendant's table, looking very defeated and very angry. Adam felt drained, like he had just fought the biggest battle in his life. It took all of his strength not to become upset, but he didn't know how much longer he could hold things in. He slowly got up from his seat on the stand and stopped beside the judge's desk. His father stood a few feet in front of him. Mr. Kramer had tears in his eyes as he stood before his son. Adam really started to tremble at the sight of his father. Jason was standing right behind him, emotional as well.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Adam stammered. With that Carl Kramer reached out and grabbed his son and hugged him fiercely. Jason was extremely happy to see his father and brother together after everything that had happened. Then his father pulled him aside along with his oldest son. He put a hand on each of his son's shoulders.

"Adam, Jason. There is nothing you can do that would change our feelings for either of you. There is nothing that you can't tell your mother and me that would cause us to forsake you. Of all the glory that I have achieved over the years, nothing compares to the two days that my sons were brought into the world. I know your mother feels the same way." Mr. Kramer said with a soft voice, "Do you really think that anything on Earth is going to change that?"

"But he was your brother," Adam said, starting to shift his weight around nervously

"Yes, he is. But he did something very wrong to his own child and he hurt you. You were young Adam and I am not going to judge you for your decisions. However, I do want you to know that you have nothing to be sorry for and I think it took a lot of guts to come forward. Even though I do not understand why you never told me, I don't want to judge you for it because I do not understand what it was like to be in your position," Mr. Kramer replied. "I just hope that you learned that we an handle things as a family so you will come forward in the future."

Jason knew that took a lot of his father to say because it still hurt him a little that Adam did not tell them sooner. But it was then that he realized that it was not a matter of trust, but a personal issue for his brother. One that no one could understand unless they had been through it and Jason was not going to judge his brother for that either.

"What matters now is that we get that notebook and let the court system deal with Bill," Jason said, patting Adam on the back.

"Hey where is Bill?" Adam asked noting that Bill was no longer in the courtroom. He felt himself starting to sweat and his heartbeat began pounding in his chest.

"The officer took him to a holding cell until they could sort everything out since there are new charges that are being alleged against him." Mr. Kramer said, noticing Adam's reaction to Bill's absence, "He is not going to hurt anyone again, don't worry."

For a small moment Adam felt a little at ease. Like he can finally feel peace after all of those years of abuse at the hands of his uncle. He let out a big breath of air.

"Well, let's go get something to eat and then we will get the notebook, okay Adam?" Jason asked as the Kramers made their way out of the courtroom.

"Just let me break this to your mother. I think that it would come better if she heard it from me," Mr. Kramer said. He knew his wife would be hysterical at the thought that anyone would touch one of her boys or another child in that manner, especially in her own home.

But the next statement was not what Adam wanted to hear.