The Legal Process

Part 3: Mommy Knows Best

"Maria will you please just listen to m-"

"I'm done listening, Diana! Now get out. of. my. Way!" Maria hollered at the top of her lungs.

Maria was through being patient, through doubting herself. For weeks -- weeks! -- she'd been telling everyone that something was wrong around here. In less than a month, half their housemates had vanished without warning, only to re-emerge and announce they'd forsaken their rights and turned into slaves! She didn't know what, but

something

was going on, and she needed to get out of this house -- and away from this college -- before it happened to her, too.

So, suitcase in hand, she shoved past Diana and stormed through the living room. On the way out, she spotted mousy little Hannah curled up on the couch, trembling, avoiding eye contact.

For a moment, Maria felt a pang of guilt. Part of her desperately wanted to take Hannah with her, to protect the innocent, naive girl from whatever was happening. If women like Renee and Sheena were susceptible, then Hannah was a sitting duck. But Maria knew taking somebody along wasn't an option. She only barely had a plan for herself, after all.

Still, even a shaky idea was better than waiting here for some

man

to mess with her head and put a collar on her. So without looking back, she left the house, loaded her belongings into her tiny car, and drove away.

* * *

Some time later, standing outside the door of a high-end apartment, she wasn't so sure.

It wasn't that Maria didn't think she was

welcome

, exactly. After all, she and Daphne had been neighbors and close friends since childhood, even with Daphne being several years older. Heck, she'd babysat Maria for years. She was the first person Maria came out to when she realized she was gay. Sure, they'd drifted apart some, once Daphne moved out after college, but she'd still said that Maria was welcome to visit her any time.

But what if that was just Daphne

saying

it? She was a successful career woman now; who's to say she wouldn't feel quite so generous towards some teary-eyed freshman showing up unannounced and begging to crash on her couch? What if she had a boyfriend staying over already? What if she wasn't even home, and Maria was going to be stuck squatting outside a door all night? Hell, if she

was

home, what should Maria say that wouldn't make her sound crazy?

Just as all those thoughts were turning into a whirlpool in her head, and about to convince Maria to run away and sleep in her car, the door opened without warning.

"...Maria?" Said the tall, dark-haired woman in silk pajamas. She looked confused, but clearly recognized her visitor.

"Oh...uh, hi Daphne," Maria said awkwardly. She gave a puzzled look at the door, realizing she hadn't even knocked yet. "How did you..."

"I've got a security camera by the door. I was just getting into bed when I saw..." Her look of confusion turned to concern as she took in Maria, mascara running down her cheeks and suitcase in hand. "Are- are you alright? Did something happen?"

"It's..um..."

"Wait, what am I saying? Come inside first and sit down. You look like a wreck, sweetie."

"I feel like one." Maria followed the older woman inside, set her bag down in an out of the way corner, then followed into an immaculately modern living room to sit on Daphne's plush, white couch.

"Please, tell me what's going on, M," Daphne pleaded. She sat down next to Maria, and gently took her hand. "Are you hurt? Did something happen at school? Are you in danger?"

"No. Yes. I don't know. I'm..." Maria hesitated. She stared down at her lap, too nervous to meet her friend's eyes. "I'm afraid you'll think I'm crazy."

She felt a gentle hand on her cheek, and let it guide her head up. Daphne looked at her with strong, determined eyes full of concern.

"I promise I won't. You're obviously upset, and you came to me for help. I swear I'll hear you out. So please, just talk to me."

Sniffling, Maria tried her best to hold back anxious tears while she told Daphne everything. She only succeeded for a few minutes. By the end of it, she was sobbing into her friend's shoulder, squeezed into a warm hug that only opened the flood gates more.

"I'm...I'm sorry," she mumbled into Daphne's increasingly soggy pajama shirt. "I'm being hysterical but I just didn't know who else to turn to."

"There's nothing to apologize for, M." Daphne softly stroked the blonde's head, speaking in a soothing voice.

Maria recognized that tone. It was the same tone she'd used years ago, when Maria would wake up from a nightmare and beg for her mommy. Back then, Daphne would crawl into bed with her, cradle her, and whisper reassurances until she slept soundly through the rest of the night. Part of her felt ashamed to be coddled like a child, but the part of her shaking with anxiety was happy for the familiar comfort.

"You don't think I'm crazy, then? You believe me about the brainwashing?"

"I think that you had every right to be scared," Daphne said, keeping that same warm, calming timbre. "I can't say what did or didn't happen with the other girls, but if you felt unsafe, then getting out was the best choice you could have made."

"Thank you. That...that means so much." Maria felt her muscles relax, releasing a tension she'd been carrying with her for so long, she hadn't realized it was there until it was gone. She sagged into Daphne, who only held her tighter.

"I want you to know that you can stay with me as long as you like, sweetie. I've got plenty of room, and I'd be more than happy to share this place with you, to offer anything you need. You're safe with me, Maria."

"That means the world to me." Maria finally let herself out of her friend's embrace, and tried in vain to wipe off her tear-streaked face.

"I'm sure you're exhausted, so how about you go get a shower, and I'll get everything set up for a sleepover." Daphne gave a crooked grin, and Maria found herself laughing in-spite of herself.

Maria made her way to Daphne's spacious, gleaming bathroom and went about cleaning herself up. It was a wonderfully therapeutic experience, letting all the sweat, tears, and tension wash out of her body. When she came out, she found Daphne had lent her a set of sleep clothes, and silently thanked her lucky stars to have such a generous friend to rely on. She slipped on the soft tank top and cotton shorts, and found Daphne dressing down the bed in the master bedroom.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry. I figured I would just crash on your couch," Maria said, feeling awkward at imposing so much out of the blue.

"The couch is plenty comfy, but for tonight, I figured what you need is a nice, warm bed."

"But I'd hate to put you out of your own bed!"

"Then we can share, and it really will be like a sleepover." Daphne approached Maria, and gripped the younger woman's hand in a soft but firm grasp. "Don't consider yourself a burden, M. You're not putting me out by letting me help you, alright?"

"...alright."

"Good, now you go ahead and get cozy. I'll get the lights and be right back to tuck you in." Daphne snickered.

"I don't think you need to go full babysitter mode." Maria smiled. "I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Believe me, I can see that. Why do you think we're sharing the bed?" Daphne said, giving Maria a flirtatious look. Then she laughed under her breath again and went to turn down the lights.

Maria awkwardly chuckled at her friend's joke, suddenly not so keen to keep up the teasing. Truth be told, she'd fantasized more than a few times about Daphne growing up, even though she knew nothing could ever happen. She knew her friend was just trying to lighten the mood, but now she felt suddenly self-conscious about their sleeping arrangement.

In the end, though, she was too tired to worry about that, and in moments she was under the covers, curled up and ready to drift off. The lights went out, and she saw the vague silhouette of Daphne join her under the sheets.

With a whispered "Good night" to her gracious host, Maria drifted to sleep. As she dozed off, she dreamed a loving hand was softly caressing her face, while quiet words urged her into slumber.

* * *

Maria woke up disoriented. She could tell immediately that she hadn't slept very well, and it took her groggy mind a few moments to piece together the where and why of her situation. When she remembered that she was staying with Daphne -- in the other woman's bed, no less -- she turned to see the other half of the bed was empty. Just as Maria was wondering where she'd gone, the host in question entered the room carrying a lap tray loaded with food.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Daphne sang out, still apparently the morning person Maria remembered.

"How much does room service cost?" Maria joked, yawning louder than she intended.

"On the house. I figured you'd be hungry, and I could tell you didn't get too much rest last night." Daphne sat the tray to straddle Maria's lap, then scooted to her side of the bed.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" Maria asked, mortified.

"A couple of times, yeah. You were moving around a lot, and I heard you talking some in your sleep. It seemed like you weren't having the best dreams." Daphne said all of that with a gracious smile, seeming unperturbed about her own sleep being disturbed.

"You're right about that," Maria sighed. She dejectedly poked her fork at the scrambled eggs on her plate. "I don't remember most of it, but I know I was trying to get away from somebody, and they were...groping me. Right before I woke up they were trying to put a...a collar on me."

"You don't have to worry about that, M. You're here, with me, where nobody can get to you."

"I know I'm safe

now

, but what about when I leave? I can't just stay huddled up in your home for the rest of my life. But the thought of going out there, and leaving myself vulnerable to any man to...to play with my mind -- it just terrifies me."

They were both quiet for a long moment, Maria forcing herself to eat her -- admittedly wonderful -- breakfast, and trying not to doom spiral. Meanwhile, Daphne looked at her guest with solemn contemplation, as if she was turning over an idea in her head, trying to decide if it was worth bringing up. Finally, she broke the silence.

"If you're really worried about something like that...I think I might be able to help you."

Maria looked at her friend for a second, wondering what she could possibly mean. Daphne took her silence as a question, and started to explain.

"See, I majored in business, but I actually took several psychology classes while I was getting my degrees. To help with marketing and stuff like that, you know?"

"Alright, but I'm not sure-"

"Well the thing is, one of those courses had a whole section on hypnotherapy, and different kinds of ways to induce it. It's been a while, but I still remember the basics. So maybe I could, I don't know, give you some tips on what to look out for? Like, tells or something to warn you if somebody's trying something?"

Maria had to sit and think for a moment. It sounded...flimsy. There was no way some vaguely remembered college classes could teach her enough to combat the forces out to brainwash her. Granted, she didn't exactly know what those forces were, or what they were doing to ensnare their victims, and there was nothing saying they weren't using hypnosis, but-

She looked at Daphne's pleading eyes, saw the loving concern behind them, and Maria melted a little. Daphne was just trying to help her, to give her some kind of piece of mind. So what if it wasn't totally useful? It certainly couldn't hurt to have some idea of what to look out for, right?

"I guess we could try. If it's not a bother to you."

"Not at all!" Daphne's smile lit up the entire room. "We can start after you finish eating."

* * *

"Alright, the first thing you need to do, is always avoid is being alone with a man," Daphne explained. They were sitting in her living room, facing one another on the couch. Maria still wasn't sure about this whole endeavor, but she was doing her best to put on a studious face for her friend's lecture. "The fundamentals to hypnosis are time and intimacy. If someone wanted to hypnotize you, they'd first start by getting you alone, somewhere that nobody would interfere."

"Trust me, I would never be alone with a man, even if he weren't trying to brainwash me." Maria grimaced at the thought, remembering the few times some drunk college guys had tried hitting on her. Strange how "I'm a lesbian" only ever made them more determined.

"That's definitely a good start. Being alone with somebody, even if you don't trust them, can create a sense of isolation that the hypnotist can exploit. By cornering you somewhere so you can't easily call for help, they can assert themselves as an authority, somebody you subconsciously think you

have

to listen to."

"Hmph, like I would ever listen to-"

"Look into my eyes." Daphne's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm, and direct. Without thinking, Maria looked up, and directly into her friend's piercing blue eyes.

"See? You did just as you were told, without thinking about it, right?"

"Well, yes, but that's only because I trust you." Maria blushed, embarrassed. A shiver ran down her spine. Alright, maybe this wasn't entirely useless after all.

"Trust is a very powerful factor, too, of course." Daphne's voice softened as she looked into Maria's eyes. "But that also means it's something that can be used against you. What if it was a friend, or a professor, or somebody else that you believed you were safe with?"

"Well, I..."

"Exactly. You'd hesitate. Even if you had doubts about their actions, you'd give them the benefit of the doubt, and that would give them the opening they need. Then they could direct your actions without you even knowing. Before you could think to object, they'd have you staring into their eyes, listening to their words, and letting them lead you wherever they wanted."

"Then I would...I would fight them." Maria felt herself shivering, scared to realize just how vulnerable she'd been. The thought of somebody she trusted betraying her -- enslaving her -- was something she'd tried to ignore all this time.

"I'm sure you would, M. And maybe you would win, and escape their grasp. But one of the tricky things about hypnosis is that sometimes, fighting just wears you out. It makes you tired, and confused. If the hypnotist is smart, they'll have you wear yourself out, until you're too weak to escape. Or else they'll wait until they know you're vulnerable, too nervous to really put up any resistance."

Maria felt a hand on her head, gently stroking her hair. It was comforting, and she was grateful to have Daphne there to guide her. There was so much she hadn't considered, and having her friend there to anchor her was invaluable. She let out a shaky breath, leaned into the other woman's hand, and kept staring into her eyes.

"So then...I shouldn't fight? But then..."

"Mm hmm," Daphne nodded. "Then you'd be giving yourself up to them. That's why it's so important to stop it before it's too late. Because as soon as you start slipping, it's almost impossible to climb back up, and your own momentum will start carrying you forward, right where the hypnotist wants you. Once you're following along with the hypnotist, lost in their eyes, following their suggestions without realizing it, you've already lost."

"Already...lost..." Maria's voice was quiet, as weak as she felt at that moment.

"Yes. You've already lost. Once you're entranced, there's no escaping hypnosis."

"There's no...escaping..."

"Say that again, M. So I know you understand it."

"There's no escaping hypnosis."

"That's right. Again."

"There's no escaping hypnosis."

"Good girl." Daphne's eyes were even closer now. Maria could smell her warm, sweet breath on every word. The hand petting her hair was joined by another stroking her leg. She felt warm. Safe. Totally lost in her friend's presence. In her words.

"So let's review. What happens if you let yourself be alone with someone you trust?"

"I'll start to...follow their suggestions."

"And once you're following their suggestions?"

"I'll already be hypnotized."

"Perfect answer, M. Now tell me this: are you alone with someone you trust?"

"Yes."

"Are you following my suggestions?"

"Yes."

"Then what does that mean?"

Maria felt the sluggish gears in her mind slowly crank to life. They clicked slowly, laboriously, trying to put together the pieces Daphne was placing in front of her. Finally, after sitting there for a small eternity, softly held by her friend's hands and gaze, the answer sparked in her brain.

"Oh...that means I'm...hypnotized."

"And can you escape hypnosis?

That answer was easy. Simple. It spilled from her lips in an instant.

"There's no escaping hypnosis."

"That's right. That's so, so right, M." Daphne raised her head to give a soft, patronizing kiss to Maria's forehead, then leaned down to whisper into the entranced girl's ear.

"And since you can't escape hypnosis, all you can do is drift, and listen, and let yourself be taken deeper and deeper with every word. You've already lost, so the only option is to give in, to submit. But you'll find that trance isn't scary at all. It's warm, and pleasant, and loving. So you can close your eyes, relax, and let me take such good care of you. Because you trust me."

"I...trust you." Maria mumbled her last words before her eyelids dropped shut. Her body went limp, and the last thing she remembered was nuzzling into Daphne's chest, as her open, hypnotized mind took in every word.

* * *

Maria opened her eyes slowly. Part of her felt like she was still asleep, as if a veil was laid over her face, letting her see the waking world, but ever-so-slightly separated from it. She felt good, warm, and more content than she had in...she couldn't even remember. It felt so nice, she closed her eyes and began to drift back into slumber again.

"Ah ah ah, no you don't," came a soft, teasing voice from above her. Fingers snapped next to her ears. "Wake up, M."

Maria groaned, but complied with Daphne's order. She opened her eyes once again, and let the warm light of day rouse her completely. She found herself stretched out on the couch, with her head quite cozily resting on Daphne's lap. She saw the other woman's smiling face looking down at her.

"There she is. Did you have a good nap, baby?" Daphne casually, lovingly stroked Maria's bangs, and the blonde sighed under her touch.

"I was, until some meanie decided to wake me up." Maria pouted.

"Now now, you were the one who wanted to try this training. If I let you sleep the day away, you'll never be able to resist hypnosis."

"Training?" Maria must have still been half asleep, because it took a few moments of looking confused for her brain to put things together. She slowly lifted herself off Daphne's lap, trying to shake the cobwebs from her head.

Oh, right! She'd asked Daphne to help her learn to resist hypnosis. It was the only way to prevent any attempts to brainwash her into slavery, and she needed some way to defend herself if she was going to go back to school. She must have dozed off after their first session.

"So, how do you feel after my first attempt at trance?" Daphne asked, looking at her expectantly. "Any desire to sell your soul? Or maybe an urge to pledge your undying love and servitude? Did the new kinks I implanted take hold?"

Instead of answering, Maria smiled, leaned in, and gave Daphne a warm, deep kiss.

"Nope. Unless a desire to kiss my girlfriend counts as a kink."

Daphne smirked, and returned her kiss twofold. For a while the couple sat there, lazily kissing and caressing eachother, happily in love. It was something Maria had dreamed about for years, and even months into their relationship, she was amazed at how exciting it felt to kiss the woman she'd been in love with since middle school.