The Tribunal

Epilogue

No Apologies, No Regrets

Sebastian was completely surrounded. He could feel the presence of forty or so of his classmates but he could not see them. The room was totally dark and someone had slipped a cloth mask over his eyes. Some where in the distance chamber music was playing but other than that the room was silent. None of this would have bothered Sebastian so much if it wasn't for the fact that he was completely naked as well.

The things we do for love.

He was growing ever more irritated as the seconds went on and no one said anything. He just knew they were all enjoying getting this opportunity to ogle him. Sebastian desperately wanted to ask if they were done yet but before he could say a word he felt something sharp pressing against his abdomen. It didn't cut into his skin but rather glided down his stomach until it rested against another scar. A mark that had been started but never finished.

"Bringing back memories Valmont?" Kathryn, her voice whispered in his ear teasingly and he knew then it was she holding the knife to him. Sebastian began to relax then as he delighted in her delicate touch. He smirked in response to her question but his smile soon disintegrated when he felt the knife slice into his skin and slowly cut into him.

Sebastian grit his teeth to resist calling out. He certainly wasn't going to show fear in front of this lot. No instead he acted as if nothing happened while droplets of blood dripped down his leg.

"You have completed almost all of the necessary tasks. Are you ready for the final step?" Kathryn asked her voice sounding surprisingly formal.

"Yeah, sure" he sighed.

"Good" she replied sharply. Sebastian could hear the annoyance in her voice. Obviously he was suppose to be taking this whole thing a lot more serious than he was.

A moment later he felt Kathryn slip her hand into his. "Follow me upstairs and we'll finish your initiation" she instructed.

Since he still couldn't see very well, or really at all Sebastian had to let Kathryn lead him upstairs. Luckily he was able to make it to the second floor without falling on his face. When he heard a door opened he obediently followed her inside. "Okay now what?" he asked.

"You aren't suppose to speak until I tell you to" she teased.

"Can I at least take this fucking mask off?"

"I don't know" her breathy voice whispered in his ear as her fingers caressed his chest. "I rather like you with it on."

"Kathryn..."

"Just a second"

Sebastian could hear buttons being undone and the sound of heavy material hitting the ground. No longer able to hold back his curiosity he pulled the fabric from his eyes and found Kathryn standing before him in just a tiny bra and panty set. He looked her over and smirked "perhaps joining the tribunal won't be so bad after all."

Kathryn moved closer to him, wrapping her slender arms around his neck. "There's one final part of the initiation."

"What's that?"

"I'm suppose to ravish you." Grasping him by the back of the neck she pulled him down for a kiss. Sebastian eagerly responded as the two tumbled back into the large canopy bed. They kissed hungrily, their bodies moving against each over desperate to relieve the tension that was building between them. As soon as he started touching her Sebastian became instantly hard but it was all the more painful because he knew nothing would come of it.

It was nearly six months after the night Kathryn was raped and Joshua killed. During that time the two of them had become closer than ever. However they had yet to go any further than kissing which Sebastian was okay with. He knew she wasn't ready yet for anything more and he didn't want to pressure her in any way. Yet he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss sleeping with her. It wasn't just the sex he missed but the intimacy of being inside her.

Still Sebastian was quite thankful for what he had. It had taken time but his Kathryn had finally come back to him. Little by little she started returning to her typical bitchy, haughty self which he loved. After Joshua's murder was definitely ruled a suicide (thanks in part to two former tribunal members now working for the NYPD and the DA's office) she slowly started to get back into her tribunal duties.

Kathryn also started her one woman assault to get him to join. Sebastian of course resisted at first but then the inevitable happened and he caved into her. He was no longer afraid she would try to control him so he agreed to join...one month before they were to graduate. This as he expected pissed Kathryn off greatly but she would take what she could get.

Now as they continued to make out and Sebastian tried to ignore the throbbing pain emulating from his groin he tried to figure out a way to relieve himself without pressuring Kathryn. Just when he was about to pull away however she murmured to him between kisses, "I want you to fuck me."

Sebastian pulled away not quite sure he heard her right. "You want to what?"

"You heard me" she replied "I want to make love to you."

He regarded her with stupefied confusion. Did she really want this or was she just doing it to pay him back for finally joining the tribunal? "Kathryn you don't have to. I mean I'm fine and I don't-"

She placed a finger over his mouth quieting him. "I want this, I want you. I miss having you inside me Sebastian."

"Well I miss being there but...I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't" she assured him. "Now quit being a pussy about it or I'll just have to go downstairs and find another willing guy."

"Not fucking likely" she snickered as he bent back down to kiss her. Gently he made his way back down her body. Slowly he removed her undergarments and proceeded to kiss every part of her he could get his mouth on.

As Sebastian played with her firm breasts Kathryn reached down and tugged on her hair. "I'm ready" she murmured.

He moved back up her body and kissed her once again. Gently he spread her legs and guided himself towards her entrance. Sebastian pulled away from her mouth so he could watch her as he slowly entered her body. As he started to push in Kathryn winced and he immediately stopped. Her eyes opening she ordered "go on, please."

Sebastian obeyed and with as much gentleness as possible he slid all the way inside of her. The sensation was just as he remember but better. In fact it was taking all his self control to not cum right there, but no he held off. He wanted to make this as enjoyable for her as possible. Before he started moving he asked her "are you okay?"

"Yes" she breathed "I won't break, I promise."

"I know"

* * * * * *

"I can't believe she finally got him to join" Annette mused as she stared up at the second floor bedroom Kathryn and Sebastian had disappeared into earlier.

"I knew she would eventually" Marcus confided as he handed her a bottle of water. "Leave it to Valmont to wait for the last possible second though."

Annette nodded "well Kathryn seems to be feeling better these days. I mean I was wondering if her and Sebastian would be able to stay together after everything they went through."

"Yeah well I think you forget who you're talking about. Their not exactly the most morally sound people. I don't think Joshua's death affected them as much as you think."

Annette looked up at him, ready to rebut his statement but she quickly curbed her tongue. For a moment she almost forgot about Marcus's ignorance towards everything that happened that awful night. He didn't know about Kathryn's rape and he never would, at least from Annette anyway. She had promised to never speak of it to him and she never had.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing" she smiled mysteriously. "You're probably right."

Marcus walked over and helped her up from her chair. Running his hand down her protruding belly he said "enough about Kathryn and Sebastian, what about you? Are you feeling okay? Are you tired? We can leave if you want."

Annette grinned at how protective he was being. You would think she'd be used to it after six months but she still found him concern and protectiveness for her and their child charming. "I'm fine" she assured him "we both are."

A few days after the funeral Annette had finally told Marcus about her pregnancy. As she expected he was shocked and then worried. She could tell he was more than a little apprehensive about becoming a father and even though he never said she knew at first he probably wanted her to get an abortion. Annette had of course considered that option. After all she was still quite young not to mention still in high school. However she found she was already becoming attached to the child growing inside her and she knew she couldn't give him or her up. So she told him flat out she was having the baby but assured him that didn't mean he had to be responsible for it.

Marcus had been quick to tell her other wise though. After realizing she would have the baby with or without his blessing he had proclaimed he would do anything for her and the baby. He had lived up to the promise in full. When ever Annette needed anything weather it be moral support for when she told her father or even midnight cravings he was there for her.

Now as they stood in the midst of the typical Friday night tribunal party they held onto each other as if they were the only two people in the room. "There was something I needed to talk to you about" Marcus told her as he grasped her right hand in his. Annette was staring up at him so intently she hadn't even realized he'd slipped something on her finger. "Or rather ask you" he murmured.

Feeling the sudden weight on her hand she looked down and saw and sizable diamond ring now attached to her finger. Staring at the rather expensive piece of jewelry she gasped "oh my god."

Marcus grinned "I'm not really the get-down-on-one-knee sort of guy, but what do you say? You want to marry me?"

There was really only one answer she could give him. Throwing her arms around him Annette let out a loud, exuberant "yes!"

* * * * * *

"Leave it to Blondie to fuck up a perfectly good evening" Kathryn sneered as she looked down at the chaos that was happening below.

Coming up behind her Sebastian slid an arm around her waist and replied "you're so sentimental Kathryn."

"I mean it" she hissed looking back at him. "This night was suppose to be about your initiation into the tribunal. But of course that little bitch has to go and make it about her."

"Oh give it up!" Sebastian laughed. "I know you don't have her as much as you claim to. In fact if I had to guess I bet you even admire Annette a little bit. You just don't want the others to see you look weak."

"I do not admire her" Kathryn huffed as she focused her attention back down at the party below. They had just finished making love after months of being apart physically. It had been perfect just as Kathryn imagined it would be...that it until they heard the cheering and sudden squeals of excitement coming from the party. Curious they pulled themselves from the bed and observed from the balcony as their fellow tribunal members celebrated the new engagement of Annette and Marcus.

As Kathryn watched the girls gather around Annette to admire her ring she couldn't help but admit to herself that perhaps Sebastian had been some what right in his assessment of her feelings towards Annette. She didn't really hate her and as time moved on she saw that perhaps she really was good enough for Marcus. The two had both been accepted to Harvard, they had a baby on the way and now they were getting married. Kathryn couldn't help but be a little envious but she would never admit that to Sebastian.

"Why would anyone want to get married at this age anyway?" she asked.

"Don't ask me" Sebastian snickered. He kissed her neck and teased "don't be expecting any proposals from me anytime soon."

Kathryn smiled "why not?"

Laughing Sebastian grasped her hand in his and led her back to the bedroom. "I joined the tribunal. One sacrifice at a time baby."

~ THE END ~