Trial: Day 14
"Please state your name for the record." Hitomi requested.
The red-headed man pressed himself further into the witness stand's chair, obviously feeling uncomfortable in front of all these people. "X Drake."
"And what is your affiliation to the defendant?"
He glanced at the man in question, before shrugging. "I, uh, worked for another organization back then, same time as him, but I knew about Law. Crossed his path a few times."
Hitomi nodded in acceptance, before crossing her arms. "And could you please tell us, what was Law like back then?"
Drake seemed to think about it for a second, biting his lower lip, before taking a breath. "He was determined. Stubborn. Intimidating, even if he was so young. Pushed people away if he didn't trust them. And he didn't trust many people at all."
"What sort of interactions did you have with him?"
"I was told to spy on some of the other runners to see where they frequented, what products they sold, that sort of thing. I watched him make a few deals."
Hitomi nodded, indicating for him to continue. "And what did you discern from those occasions?"
Drake shrugged in discomfort. "It was obvious he didn't want to be there. He put up a front like he was as tough as people thought he was, but I could tell it was just an act."
"And how is that?"
"He never smiled. Never talked unless he had to. Had that dead-eye sort of look, you know? The one that people who've seen too much have." Drake looked at Law again, who's expression was faraway and thoughtful.
Drake's arm itched something fierce, but he'd come here for a reason. It wouldn't do well now to mess up his testimony and be the reason the guy was locked up. He doubted displaying his withdrawal symptoms in court would please Newgate all that much. So he reigned them in and fought against the twitching he so desperate felt the need to do.
"Surely you can't have gleaned all that information from just watching at a distance. Did you come in close contact with him at any point?" Hitomi ventured, pressing for him to come clean.
Drake scratched at his head, keeping in inconspicuous. "We were both sent to deal in the same area one night. I was pretty new at it, so I didn't know what to expect." His head shook. "Anyway, I ran into Law, and he told me I should get out of there, that he had a bad feeling something was wrong.
"I asked him what he meant, and he told me that he wasn't sure, but I should go somewhere else if I didn't want to get hurt. I made the right choice in believing him, so I left." He shrugged again, then crossed his arms. "Turns out there was a big turf war in the area between two other gangs, right where my deal was supposed to be. I would have died if I had stayed."
Hitomi gave a small smile and nodded. "No further questions."
"...and as you can see here, multiple minute fracture marks that have healed over time." The medical examiner remarked, using a laser pointer to circle and indicate specific points of Law's x-ray that had been submitted into evidence. "A known total of 22 on the extremities."
The slide changed into his torso, showing the bones there. The laser pointer travelled along the ribcage, starting from the bottom and going downwards. "Several of the ribs have previously been cracked or bruised, two of the lowest false ribs on the left-hand side show signs of having previously been broken. They have fused back and healed slightly inward of their natural position. In addition, the sternum has distinct marks of trauma, though it has also healed with time."
"What do you discern from these findings, Doctor?" Hitomi questioned, cocking her head to the side.
He nodded, professional as always. "The wounds to the extremities are very common with abuse victims, often times receiving them when trying to fight back or defend themselves from the assault." He gestured to the torso injuries. "In the case of the remaining traumas, I don't see patterns like it often, but unless he made a habit of falling from great heights dozens of times as a child, then I would conclude that all injuries received were sustained from a history of physical abuse."
Trial: Day 18
Fast and sharp footsteps on the tile of the court building's floor marked Summer's passage through the main hallway. Out of breath and desperately hanging onto her purse with a vice-like grip, she dodged through people and prosecutors and defense attorneys left and right, on a warpath to one room in particular.
A month with no problem showing up on time for court, and for the most important day of the trial, she's late getting back from lunch? The line to the small cafe she'd eaten at for during the court intermission hadn't been that far, but the service had taken forever. In the end, she hadn't been able to eat half of the food she'd ordered, frantically trying to get back to the court room in time before they shut the doors again. Unbelievable!
Rounding a corner nearly sent her teetering off into a decorative plant pot, but she recovered and went speeding towards the correct court room, ignoring the fact that she was probably making a spectacle of herself. She mumbled half-assed apologies to those she nearly ran into.
Courtroom 8 just had to be at the very back of the building! She neared the double set of doors leading into the room, suddenly spotting a head of blonde hair above the general crowd of people standing in frong of it.
"Corazon! Am I too late?" She asked breathlessly.
"No, they were just about to close the doors though." He said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders when she came to a stop beside him. "Come on, let's get inside. I saved us some seats."
While the hallway outside the courtroom was abustle with quiet conversations and people getting to their destinations on time, inside the courtroom was, as always, silent. The odd cough or sniff from those witnessing was the only break to the silence, or the quiet whispers of the police officers between one another, too low to hear what they were saying. They stood at strategic positions to discourage the gallery from rowdiness or wandering where they weren't supposed to be.
The court stenographer was set up and ready to go in her place beside the judge's seat. The prosecuting attorney sat reading through her files at her desk, while Hitomi waited patients, hands clasped and resting on the desk. Law sat beside her, head tilted down. Summer couldn't see him from this angle, his back to her, but she wondered what sort of things were running through his head right now.
The jury waited patiently, staring at the ground, or the ceiling, or anywhere else in order to occupy themselves. They'd reached a verdict in record time, requiring only an hour to decide Law's fate. Summer wasn't taking that as a good sign...
Corazon lead them to their places and they sat, Summer stuffing her bag under her chair. She tried to keep her labored breathing as quiet as possible, so as not to draw attention to herself. Her heart still hammered away in her chest, testament to her panic in not making it back in time. Two more minutes and she would have been absent for Law's verdict.
"I'm nervous." She admitted in a quiet whisper to her blonde companion.
Corazaon glanced at her, then wrapped an arm around her shoulder and rubbed it reassuringly. "Don't be. Things will work out. Just wait and see."
She knew the bar owner wanted to remain positive, as staying negative wasn't going to do them any good anyway. But she was struggling to remain calm and optimistic about it when it was all coming together so soon. They were half an hour away from knowing Law's fate, and she couldn't sit still.
After everything they'd been witness to-the video tape of Law's drug deal, Jora's testimony, a man named X Drake's testimony, the results of Law's physical examination, and a whole slew of other things in the past few weeks-Summer hoped that the jury would come to realize that Law deserved to walk free.
The medical examination results had been the hardest for her to sit through, having to see all of his previous injuries displayed through his bones structure, and the scarring she hadn't seen until now. Law had been careful to always cover up the signs of his previous treatment, and she'd been none the wiser, all this time.
Movement in the gallery to her left caught her eye, and she glance over to see Penguin and Shachi waving discreetly at her. They'd been unable to attend for most sessions of the trail up to this point, but they refused to miss Law's verdict. They'd assured her that morning that even if they were fired from their jobs, they'd do what they needed to in order to be here today. She'd completely forgotten they were there until now, so caught up in her thoughts.
The double doors to the court room shut with a wooden thump, and the police officer locked the door so there would be no disturbances from outside. The bailiff stood and faced the gallery.
"All rise." His clear voice projected to the room, and the gallery was quick to obey the order. Summer stood quickly, and Corazon as well after just another moment. She caught his eye, and he gave her an encouraging smile. This was it.
The judge took his seat at the podium as the bailiff continued. "Court will now resume. Judge Hanson presiding."
"Please be seated. The defendant may remain standing." The judge ordered, and everyone once more took their seats except for Law. The judge looked over something on his desk, reading the agenda, before clearing his throat. "I hope we all had a good lunch. We could use the break from these long proceedings."
There was a hush over the court room as the judge prepared his papers, then, he turned to the jury. "Let's begin, then. Will the jury foreperson please stand?"
A middle-aged, brunette woman in the front row stood from her seat, holding a small clipboard. She had that motherly, yet haggard, look about her, and she along with all of the jury appeared to be very tired. Her expression gave nothing away as she faced the judge. Summer tried to discern what she might be thinking, but couldn't for the life of her.
"Has the jury reached a unanimous verdict?" The judge inquired, and the woman nodded.
"Yes, Your Honor." The bailiff walked over to the woman and took a piece of paper she offered to him. He then placed it on the judge's desk and returned to his original position.
Summer felt her hands shaking and clasped them together close to her chest as the judge read over the verdict himself. His face showed no change in expression, before writing something down on his desk. Her skin felt clammy and cold.
Corazon noticed her behavior and placed his hand on her clasped ones, squeezing to try to calm her down. She barely noticed it, watching with bated breath as the judge nodded to the foreperson to read the verdict aloud. With her heart pounding in her ears like it was, she wondered if she'd even be able to hear what they were saying.
The woman looked down at her clipboard and began to read the words written there. "We the jury find the defendant Not Guilty by way of-"
Summer didn't even hear the rest of what she said because relief flooded her system and she slumped in her chair. Whispers broke out amongst the gallery as the foreperson finished reading the verdict off, and the court proceeded as usual. A quiet cry broke through her silent sobbing, hands covering her face so no one would see her outburst.
"Summer!" Corzaon whispered in worry. "It's ok! Hey, what did I tell you? I told you he'd be fine." He rubbed at her back as her shoulders quivered and shook. The nervous energy was being spent in this moment of unbridled joy.
Behind her hands, a wide smile was fixed on her face, tears and a runny nose wetting her whole face. She wished in that moment she had thought to bring tissues with her, but she had forgotten. All that ran through her mind, over and over again, was Thank God. Thank God. Thank God...
Law on his part, merely stood there in shock. Eyes widened and staring at the ground in awe, hands gripping the table with a force he couldn't describe. He was sure that Hitomi was trying to say something to him, but he didn't quite register anything at all past the words 'Not Guilty.'
He'd done it. He'd actually fucking done it. This whole nightmare could be put behind him now. He could live. He could move on and forget about everything from the past. He could stop looking over his shoulder every time he went outside, and every time he went to sleep at night. The weight, part of which had lifted when Joker had laid dead in front of him, was now completely gone. Erased in a single moment of happiness he didn't ever think he could truly feel. He could...he could...
"Order in the court." The judge commanded evenly, which finally broke through his tumultuous and swirling thoughts. Law looked up at the judge, realizing that the members of the gallery had become a little loud in their talking after the verdict was read off. They quieted down quickly, and the court proceeded as it had been.
"The jury is thanked and excused. Court is adjourned."
The thump of the gavel hitting the wooden block was quite possibly the sweetest sound he'd ever heard. The sound of his freedom.
Hitomi helped escort Law into a separate room used for advisement after court appearances, away from the rest of the people and secluded so he could have some time to herself. A smile was fixed in place, and she shut the door and turned on the dim lighting of the room.
She let out a sigh. "Well, I'm glad things turned out in our favor. This has been a long and arduous process, but it's been worth it, don't you think?"
She turned to Law, but he stood with his back to her, slowly taking off his suit jacket. He was silent, head bent down.
Hitomi smiled to herself, knowing that a lot of client with such high-risk sentences who were found Not Guilty felt a whole lot of emotions at once that they may not know how to express right after the trial. After a moment he wandered to the nearest chair and sat down.
"You know, for a case like this, it completely breaks precedent. I've honestly never seen a jury acquit a defendant of gang charges in such a way before, not with physical evidence of the crimes being committed. You're a very lucky person, Law."
He didn't say anything, just nodded numbly, not quite processing what she was saying to him.
She approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take a few minutes to process it all. I know it's a lot to take in. The others will still be there when you're ready." She said, noting his overwhelmed expression in amusement.
She sat in the chair across from him, watching with interest as, after a few minutes, he blinked and covered his face with his hands. He exhaled sharply, before the first tears wet his cheeks.
"What are they doing in there?" Shachi asked, standing beside the others outside the door of the courthouse. The sun was shining down on them, and people milled about on the steps to either side of them. They were waiting for Law to come out, but he had yet to show. "Court let out 15 minutes ago!"
"Just give him time. I'm sure his lawyer is talking to him right now." Corazon smoothed over, watching the entrance for the man in particular. "Probably some post-trial details to wrap up."
"I hope he comes out soon. It's been a few months since I've seen him." Summer said, smiling with excitement. She'd calmed down from her small breakdown in the gallery of the courtroom itself, any trace of tears now gone. At this point nothing could sour her good mood.
Nothing stood between her and Law. For the first time in months, they were free to be with each other. No drug cartels, no injuries, no police or justice system interference. Nothing.
"God, I'm starving. All this court stuff is making me hungry." Penguin remarked, rubbing his chin to relieve an itch. Shachi smacked him on the back of the head.
"We just had lunch before they gave the verdict!"
"So? I'm still hungry!"
Summer smiled, watching them bicker between themselves some more. She looked back over to the entrance, seeing Hitomi already walking down the steps towards them. The blonde laughed aloud and met her at the bottom of the stairs, wrapped her best friend in a tight embrace.
"Thank you so much! Thank you..." She said into her shoulder, and Hitomi chuckled.
"It was nothing. I was happy to help."
They eventually parted, Summer letting go so she wouldn't wrinkle up or ruin her friend's outfit.
Corazon approached too, enveloping her in his own hug. "I'm pretty sure that wasn't nothing. What you did for him...I know that couldn't have been easy. You've earned yourself a lifetime of free drinks at my bar. You're welcome anytime."
Hitomi gave him a smile. "I might just take you up on that tonight. I could certainly use one."
"Good! I'd say we should use tonight to celebrate, don't you think?" He suggested.
"Does that free drink policy extend to us as well?" Penguin tentatively asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I mean, we protected Summer for a while and helped Law out where we could..."
Corazon sighed and shook his head. "Fine, since you did help Law out."
"Hell yeah!" Shachi exclaimed. "Penguin, clear your Fridays for the rest of your life. We're bring back Brewskie Hour."
Summer laughed, already seeing the regret marking Corazon's face at that exclamation, before she turned to the entrance of the courthouse again and stopped.
Law hurried down the steps towards them, the jacket to his suit slung over his shoulder. He locked eyes with her and smiled wider, quickening his already fast pace.
"Law!" She cried out, rushing to meet him at the bottom of the stairs. The others watched with amusement as she practically threw herself at him, nearly knocking the both of them to the ground. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and his around her waist, holding the other as close to them as they could.
"I've missed you so much." She mumbled into his shirt, squeezing him with everything she had. "I was so worried about the trial."
"I know..." He muttered, his mind filled with the thought that she felt so good pressed against him this way. She was safe in his arms, never to be taken from him again. He kissed the top of her head, then leaned his cheek against it.
He wanted to kiss her with every fiber of his being, but he knew they had an audience of close friends and felt suddenly hesitant about it. He'd never been comfortable with displays of his affection for her in public. She must have felt the same way, because she hadn't tried to kiss him yet, content to just press herself against him as much as she could.
There was so much he wanted to say to her, but it all felt insufficient. And before he could even get his thoughts together to try to come up with something to say, Corazon and the others came up beside them.
"Seriously, you dodged a bullet today." Penguin commented, and Summer unfortunately stepped away from him to allow the others to greet him. He missed her warmth against him instantly.
Hugs were exchanged all around, and he was enveloped by his closest friends in the world who were so happy to see him safe and walking a free man. It was all so bittersweet, but all Law could think about was going home and spending time with Summer. He could catch up with them all at a later time, but he'd been missing the blonde most of all.
"So, we were thinking about going to the Heart Seat and celebrating your newfound freedom tonight." Corazon started, but smiled at seeing his subtle expression of pain. The man was tired, both physically and mentally, and the bar owner chuckled. "But...we'll reschedule to another time, seeing as you look half dead on your feet."
Law nodded his appreciation, ignoring the half mumbled disagreements from Shachi and Penguin. Hitomi simply stood to the side, watching with a smile.
"Well, I best get back to the bar. I'll have to break it to my temp that you'll be working again soon." Corazon said, reaching over to ruffle Law's hair affectionately. The younger man just let it happen, knowing that they'd probably talk and catch up in private tomorrow in his office at the bar.
"Well, if we aren't partying tonight, then maybe we should get going too." Penguin said, and Shachi nodded.
"But you are hanging out with us soon and that's final! No backing out!" Shachi pointed towards Law accusingly, and he held up his hands in defense.
"I wouldn't dare."
His friends turned and walked towards the parking lot, leaving Hitomi alone with the couple. She clasped her hands in front of her, taking a breath.
"Well, I'd best be getting back to the office. I have a whole stack of other cases to look into." She said, starting to turn away, but Law stepped forward.
"Wait." When he had her attention again, he spread his hands. "We never really talked about payment-"
Hitomi waved away his concerns before he'd fully voiced the statement. "Consider this a pro bono case. So long as you keep her happy and out of danger." She said, gesturing to Summer. "If I so much as hear that you aren't good to her, you'll be getting a collections notice. And trust me when I say my rates would financially ruin you."
Summer rolled her eyes, but Law only nodded, the gratitude obvious in his stare.
The silver-haired woman returned his nod and waved them both goodbye, briefcase in hand as she walked towards the parking lot as well. The couple watched her go for a moment, both thankful for all her help in keeping Law out of prison.
The bartender looked down at the blonde in his arms, gaze softening as it once again sank in that he was free of this mess. He was free to do whatever he pleased, without the fear of collateral damage standing in the way of his happiness. Free to have this woman. And to love this woman. Speaking of...
"Summer." He mumbled, drawing her attention.
"Hmm?" She glanced up, seeing the look in his eyes so filled with...something she'd never seen in them before. His gaze bore into her, and she couldn't look away if her life depended on it. He cupped her cheek and his thumb brushed across her skin gently.
"While I was in jail, I really thought I'd never see you again." He started quietly, placing his thumb on her lips when she went to speak. He wanted to get through this without her interrupting. "Your friend even said it herself after the trial. She's never seen anything like that verdict in a case like this. I knew there was little to no chance that I'd walk out of there a free man."
His other hand came up and brushed through her hair, feeling the softness. "I kept thinking that maybe in the end it would be for the best. That I would always be, I don't know...less than the man you deserve."
Summer frowned at that. "Law-"
"But even thinking that, I was selfish. I didn't want to let you go, so I tried to desperately hold onto the hope that today would go well." He shook his head with a small smile. "I thought about what I was gonna say to you for the past 20 minutes, and I had a whole speech thought out but now I can't remember a goddamn word of it."
Summer chuckled, smiling back up at him. "Will you just shut up and kiss me already? I've been waiting like 3 months."
Law chuckled under his breath, gray eyes glancing down at her pink lips to save the sight of them to his memory, before he did just as she asked.
Without the others watching, he didn't feel so self-conscious, and kissed her without hesitation. Despite the longing he'd felt for the past few months to do just this, they kept it slow, re-familiarizing themselves with the way their lips felt against each other. Summer's hands grabbed hold of his tie and pulled him in closer.
One hand kept cradling her face, and the other crept down to her hip, pressing her against him. She hummed through their lip-lock, wanting nothing more than to do this for the rest of her life. He couldn't have agreed more, sighing with content.
They broke away after a moment, foreheads resting against each other. Summer leaned forward to press her lips to his again, but stopped her. Their eyes met again, hers with confusion, and his with that unbridled emotion she'd seen just moments ago.
"I love you." He whispered, watching her face carefully.
"I-" She started, voice cracking with surprise. Her eyes darted back and forth between his, as if searching for the lie in his words, but she found none, and then smiled a stunning smile at him. God, he'd missed that smile. "I love you, too."
He'd always known that, of course. Seen the way she'd looked at him sometimes, but he'd always been afraid to admit that he shared her feelings. Now, though...now was different. That invisible cage surrounding him was gone, shattering into a thousand pieces, and here was the very person who'd saved him.
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