Day 60
The day-to-day had gotten increasingly easier for Law to handle, now that he'd made a deal with Teach to stay out of each other's way. As promised, Law kept his nose out of Teach's business and illegal smuggling network. Somehow, the man had connections through the guards and had a very active and extensive network to transport valuable stuff into the jail. Things like actual knives, drugs, and various high-value items to any prisoner. One of the most common items was playboy magazines. Law wasn't all that surprised to find this out.
Since Kaku's indirect attempt to have him shanked, there hadn't been any other attempted attacks on his person. He still caught some nasty side-eye from a few of the inmates who had nothing to do with Teach, but those he could handle. Now that he had a reputation for being someone that was best avoided, they thought twice before making a move on him.
No lie, Law actually enjoyed it. He wasn't exactly proud of that fact, but he could still admit to himself that it gave him a sick sort of pleasure to know that so many people were wary of him. He hadn't lost his edge, after all these years.
It had taken him some time before he was able to equate his time with Doflamingo to the structure of the jail's social hierarchy and process. There really wasn't much difference between the two, granted he definitely hated Doflamingo a lot more than he did any of the inmates inside with him. They were your run-of-the-mill thieves and arsonists and druggies. Nothing he couldn't handle, and definitely not as dangerous as the people he'd originally run with as a teenager.
Most of the time, his mind was occupied with the upcoming trial date. Hitomi had kept him informed of updates to the case whenever she could. He appreciated that she still tried to remain positive and optimistic about everything, but his own confidence in the possibility of them winning was slipping. The closer they got to the trial date, the less he felt he could do this. He'd have to tell every gory detail of his life after the murder of his parents to a panel of strangers who'd decide his fate. Not to mention, his lovely girlfriend would hear every word, envision every disturbing scene he had to paint for them. He hoped she would take his previous letter to heart and still be on his side after it all. But he was oddly preparing himself for the worst.
Say he did walk free. And Summer could barely stand the sight of him. What then? He supposed he'd try to move out of the city. Maybe even the state. If he couldn't have Summer then he didn't want to torture himself by being in her close proximity. A part of him knew he wouldn't have the self-control or desire to leave her completely be if he continued to live around here. Corazon would try to convince him otherwise, try to get him to stay at the bar. Law didn't blame him. His bar was on the verge of failing, and every part of him wanted to do what he could to see it succeed. But he didn't know if he could stand to pass her by on a random day in the streets on his way to work. It would break him.
But if he did go free and she stayed by his side…? Law felt a smile tilt the corner of his mouth upwards. A small moment of unbridled hope he didn't want to dash away. There was so much he wanted to do. Wanted to say. And he wouldn't squander the opportunity to hold her close. That was a promise.
"Lock up in five minutes!" He heard from a nearby guard, banging noisily against the nearest metal railing to gain the inmates' attention. "Start returning to your cells!"
Law rose from his seat at the table, carrying his picture of Summer with him, and headed off to his cell as instructed. He'd made it a habit of keeping her image with him. A tiny attempt at making sure she was always with him.
He ascended the stairs, walking behind a few other inmates, and turned down the hall that his cell was. Almost entirely to the end and on the right, he stepped into his small room and sat on the bed.
Across the space, hung on the wall by some pieces of tape he was allowed to use from the library, was his litany of pictures Summer had sent him. A few were her professional shots of familiar landmarks around the city. 'A touch of home,' as she'd called it in her last letter. One of the bridge, another of a recent sunset she had captured on her way home from a wedding shoot. The third, pasted above the rest, was of the Heart Seat at night. He missed the place. He missed his job, and the annoying regulars like Paul who never seemed to go home and actively try to fix the problems they complained to him about. He'd take stories of cheating ex-spouses and financial ruin over this any day.
All of the others were of Summer or his friends. They were candid, honest, and didn't try to be professional in any way. He preferred those more than Summer's professional ones, though he definitely appreciated all of them.
"Alright, lock-up is in affect! Quiet down, and don't cause a racket!" Law's closest guard said, shouting out to the floor who could hear him. A loud buzzer sounded throughout the facility, and all of the jail cells closed at one time. They came to a clanging stop and latched themselves in place with the automated system. No one was permitted out of their cells until release the next morning. And anyone caught not inside between then and now would be sent into solitary for at least a week.
The lights in the hall outside of his cell dimmed, and the cafeteria area lights did the same. Law felt much more at peace once lock-up commenced. He could get a break from the constant noise of the jail and not have to worry about a fight involving him. It gave him a chance to think and reflect.
Directing his attention away from the pictures, he lay back on his stiff and uncomfortable bed. It was nothing like the mattress he'd had at home before, but at least it wasn't the equivalent of a stone slab. There was enough cushion to allow you to sleep, but not enough to necessarily want to sleep on it, per se. The perfect middle ground for a jail.
He shifted in place until he was in the best position he could be to not get a crick in any part of his body the next morning. The blanket was tossed around his shoulders and he sighed to begin the sleep process.
Sleep didn't come fast, and even then, his dreams were filled with uncertain outcomes to this trial.
Day 63
"The good news is that I was able to get the motion for your psychological evaluation thrown out. The judge and myself both agreed that you had not displayed any behaviors that warranted the need for such a test." Hitomi said with a pleased smiled. She tossed some of her silver hair out of the way of her eyes. "The more I think about it, the more I believe they were trying to add to the image of a broken, mentally disturbed man. Hopefully this will quell that avenue and force them to go through a different approach."
Law shook his head tiredly. He wasn't sleeping well, and it was starting to show. The circles under his eyes which had always been there now began to show more prominently. "Well, at least there's that...Small victories." He said without much enthusiasm.
Hitomi pursed her lips, eyeing him with concern. She knew this couldn't be easy on him, but at least she hadn't noticed any other signs of fighting or injuries on his body. Still, she knew the stress of actually being in jail already could take its toll. "We're just a few days away from the trial. How are you feeling?"
Law shrugged, crossing his arms and avoiding her gaze. "I'm just going to be glad when this is all over. Whatever the outcome, at least I'll know what direction my life will be going from there. I hate this uncertainty." He finally surmised.
Hitomi sighed now too, leaning closer to catch his gaze. "You can't start thinking like that now, so close to the trial. I need you to believe that we can do this. Because there isn't much I can do for a client who believes there's no hope."
Law simply held her gaze for awhile, finding nothing more to say. He knew she was dedicated and would do everything it took to set him free, but there was only so much of this he could take. And he was nearing his benchmark for stress. It actually surprised him how close he was pushing his limits, and they hadn't even started the trial itself yet. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to face those 12 jurors, and a sea of strangers watching it like some sort of sick entertainment.
There was one pair of violet eyes he was dreading to meet in that crowd.
Day 65
"A witness?"
"Hm." Hitomi nodded, placing the paperwork in front of Law. "It seems he was suddenly willing to testify on your behalf at the last minute. I'm not even sure how he knew you were being prosecuted."
Law frowned, feeling a bit uneasy about that. "Who is it?"
Hitomi pointed to a name on the paperwork, written in bold lettering. "A man named X Drake. He claims that he was part of another gang at the same time you were. Do you know him?"
Law leaned back in his chair in thought, but eventually shook his head. "No...but he's coming to my defense? That seems..."
"Like a blessing." Hitomi interrupted. "If we can have a witness on our side as well, rather than just the few solid facts we do have, all the better for your case."
"I don't know...doesn't it seem too convenient that I suddenly have a person on my side?" It didn't sit well in his chest. His first inclination would be to wonder what this person's motive was.
Hitomi shrugged. "Well, you mentioned that you had connections to several gangs. Perhaps this is simply another favor they're cashing in?"
Law didn't say anything more, unsure what to think.
Day 66
Summer,
Tomorrow is the first day of the trial. To be honest...I don't know what to think at the moment. No matter what Hitomi says or believes, I know there's a very slim chance of me coming out of this with an exoneration of all charges. And, if you're reading this, that means that the worst outcome has come to pass. Most likely, I'll be in prison for a long, long time and I don't know what's going to be waiting for me when I eventually get out.
There are a few things I wanted to say in the case that I am going to prison for the full extent of my charges. The first being that I've stashed away a large savings in a lockbox at the center on Main and West Meadows Avenue. I started it as a backup to the cash I saved in the case that Joker came looking for me again. Just in case I needed to get out of the state, or something like that. There is a few tens of thousands at least there that I want you to have. The key is in Corazon's top desk drawer at the Heart Seat. I've already instructed him to give it to you if I'm found guilty. It should keep you sustained for several months to a year if you're struggling to get back on your feet.
Deep down, I've always known that my mistakes would come back to haunt me. I did everything I could to run from them for as long as I could, but they say that karma always comes back to get you in the end. I guess I was just trying to experience something good out of this fucked up life I've lead before everything came crashing down like it inevitably would.
And I found something really good, despite it all. Corazon was this shining light in the darkness, and without him I'd probably be dead by now. After my parents, I never thought I'd have that sort of father-figure back in my life, but I would consider him as much of a father as my biological one was. There's no one on this Earth I respect more than that man.
My job, my friends. I've enjoyed every second of them. And it's a shame that I have to leave it all behind like this but whatever verdict the jury decides is a deserved one. I've done terrible things. I'm sure by now you know them in horrible detail. And I'm ok with the fact that I need to atone for them in some form or another.
Though if there is one thing, one person rather, I would most regret leaving behind, it would be you. Corazon may have given me a reason to live all those years ago, but you gave me a reason to want to do something with that second chance at life. You gave me hope for some sort of future for myself. Meeting you and getting to know you has been one of the greatest experiences in my life. You see the world with a perspective I find fascinating and beautiful. It makes me want to be better, for myself and for you.
I'm not normally one to admit all these things. Emotions like these are hard for me to properly articulate in a way I can be comfortable with. But for all the years that I watched you come into the bar late at night and order those ridiculous drinks while you studied your photography and learned and grew as a person…
I've loved you practically since the day we first met. When you smiled at me that first time, something in me just…I don't know, woke up. It clicked right then and there, that I wanted to see you again and a thousand more times after that. I wanted to be the reason you smiled, and the reason you laughed. Eventually, I wanted to be the person you loved in return, but I was afraid of what would happen if I tried to reach for that happiness.
Joker was never the type to let people who abandoned him go so easily. I knew I was in danger, as well as anyone else I associated with. The last thing I wanted to do was risk your life by being selfish and wanting to experience something amazing with you. But in the end, I couldn't resist any longer and you suffered as a result. I'll never forgive myself for that.
I know what I am. I know what I was before, and I'm ashamed to have ever been that person. But if doing all those terrible things in the past ultimately lead me to you, well, then perhaps I don't entirely regret them.
I don't expect any sort of commitment if I am going to prison for a few decades. I don't expect visits from you or anyone else, or letters or phone calls. I anticipate that this will be the last time you want to hear from me or see me at all. And I don't blame you if that's the case. You're bright and have such a future ahead of you with your career. You don't need me holding you back to a moment in the past where you nearly lost your life.
In a few years from now, in a few decades from now, I'm sure you'll be someone completely different from who you are now. Someone mature and intelligent and successful who's found happiness with someone who can be there for you and support you. Someone who hasn't doomed themselves to prison for their multitude of mistakes and crimes.
I love you with everything I have, and I suspect I always will. Whatever you decide to do from here I will understand. But I suppose if anything I say gets across properly in this letter it's that...I'm sorry for everything I've put you through. I'm sorry for not being the person you deserve. And I'm sorry for loving you, because I know I'm not making it easy by telling you this now. I just needed you to know the truth.
Law
Trial - Day 1
"Members of the jury." The prosecuting lawyer began in a commanding voice. "My name is Kalifa, representing the prosecution of the state of Illinois in this case against Mr. Trafalgar D. Law on this day of February 25th, 2019."
Hitomi and Law watched as she meandered her way back and forth in front of the jury, maintaining their rapt attention. "My purpose today is to prove without a shadow of a doubt that this man," she pointed at Law, who resisted the urge to shift in his seat as all of the jurors glanced in his direction, "is guilty of the charges laid against him.
With each charge she gestured with her hand for emphasis. "Gang affiliation, drug use and distribution, vandalism, arson, and most importantly of all…murder." Kalifa rounded on the jury, hands clasped behind her back. "Over a decade has passed since these crimes were committed, but I stand by the idea that justice has no expiration date, and there is no running from the law of this country. As I work to prove to you that Mr. Trafalgar is a man caught red handed years after the fact, and that he is pleading a duress defense because he sees no other way out of taking responsibility for his reckless and sadistic actions as a teenager, I want you to keep in mind that his decisions have affect families, children, and the community in general in unspeakable ways."
"She's painting me as some kind of monster…" He muttered to Hitomi who sat beside him, she leaned over a bit closer, eyes still rapt on Kalifa in front of the jury.
"That's their strategy. Portray you as the worst sort of scum who has no hope of becoming a functioning and safe member of society."
Law swallowed dryly, tugging on the hem of his suit jacket. In this circumstance it felt stifling and ill-fitting, despite being tailored to his measurements. Hitomi had been kind enough to bring it to him that morning. In a strange moment of thought, he almost missed the prison uniform.
Kalifa seemed ready to close her opening statement. "…so I invite you to make your decision on the basis of hard fact and first-hand testimony. After being shown all the facts, we ask that you come to the conclusion that this man is guilty of all charges. Thank you."
She retook her place at the prosecution's table. Hitomi gathered herself and stood from her own seat. Law and the rest of the trial's audience watched as she approached the jurors bench, regarding them with a nod. He noted that she certainly presented herself as confident and the best of the best, but in an entirely humble way. It was difficult to really explain.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hitomi Silver, and I stand here today to prove that my client, Mr. Trafalgar D. Law, is not the monster the prosecution wants you to believe him to be. As stated before, yes, my client was under extreme duress due to threat of death while participating in these terrible actions. Any average person would choose the preservation of their own life over the alternative, yes?"
"My job is to be honest with you, and yes, you will see evidence of my client actively doing these crimes. However, what the prosecution wants you to overlook is the fact that he had an active choice; to take part in actions he didn't want to do, or be killed by the very same gang forcing him into this life of crime."
"We will speak to a witness who knew Trafalgar Law well during that time, and can speak to his character and motivations. A fellow gang affiliate with nowhere else to go and tragic circumstances forcing him there. They are not too different from each other."
Hitomi regarded the jury professionally and with an even gaze. "My goal today is to set an innocent man free, and I am confident that after all of the facts come to light, you too will agree that my client is a man forced into guilt by a set of tragic circumstances. Thank you."
Hitomi re-took her seat beside Law, and they watched as the trial began. The judge went through a few opening statements of his own, addressing the jury as to what they would be expected to do, and Law had to resist turning around to try to find Summer in the audience behind the trial's barrier separating the pews from the actual court.
Whatever his fate may be, it would be decided here.
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