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Post by cal54382 on Aug 8, 2014 2:37:59 GMT
Nick looked up and smiled reassuringly at Jim as he joined them.
"Hey Brass," said Greg.
"Jim." Morgan wanted to hug him but was afraid he'd run away again as he had been all year.
"Morgan, I'm sorry. I've been horrible to you all year long. I don't blame you and I'm not angry with you. I just thought you didn't want to be around me after what she did to you."
"Jim...That was Ellie's fault. That wasn't yours."
"She's my daughter. She did it to hurt me and that hurt you."
"I understand what it's like to be angry at my dad."
"You made up with Conrad."
"I picked a different choice. I don't know if I would have if Ellie hadn't made me see things in a different light."
"You still made up."
"Jim. You are not responsible for anyone's actions but your own. Okay? You and Russell...you've become like my third and fourth dads. I would never blame you for any of this. Ellie's just looking for a scapegoat. Don't be one for her."
"Why?"
"Because you deserve better than that."
Jim actually smiled. "Thank you."
"I mean it. I know it's hard to remember right now."
"Ellie's not your only family, Jim. You've got people around you that care about you," Nick told him.
"I know. I love you guys. Thank you for not hating me."
"We could never hate you, Jim," Morgan said, settling next to Greg.
Brass gave them a smile. "May I sit?"
She made room between herself and Sara, Nick and Greg surrounding them.
Sara gave him a smile. "Told you so."
Evidently court was over for the day because the rest of the crowd came out. Ellie was in the rear and her eyes connected first with her father, then with who he was beside.
Brass shrunk next to the girls.
"Don't let her intimidate you Jim," warned Sara.
It wasn't just Jim that Ellie was taking in; it was the woman who'd stopped her from killing him and the woman who he'd been unable to pick her over.
"Don't worry about her Jim."
"Maybe we should go," Nick said, not wanting to give in to Ellie, but he didn't like the way the girl was looking at Sara, Jim, and Morgan.
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 8, 2014 2:44:21 GMT
"Okay." Sara took his hand and stood.
Morgan held Greg's hand in one, but Jim's hand in the other, partly for help off of the hard bench, but partly for support for Jim. Brass took Morgan's hand and they all walked off together.
"Hey Brass, do you want to get dinner with us tonight?" Greg asked.
He smiled, his first smile in awhile. "I'd like that. If you're sure it's okay."
"Of course it's okay," Morgan told him.
"Cool. We should get going then," said Sara.
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 8, 2014 3:02:49 GMT
They settled on takeout and a movie at home. Not normally their most festive event, but low key enough for them after the emotional day. The only rule was that no one talk about the trial.
"We're so glad you came." Sara said to Brass.
"Definitely," Morgan said, putting the platter of fajita meat on the counter. There was plenty of vegetables to go with the meat or, as Sara ate them, to eat instead.
"Thanks guys."
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Post by Admin on Aug 8, 2014 4:39:27 GMT
"No problem." Morgan continued helping Sara move things to the counter to eat buffet style.
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 8, 2014 22:56:02 GMT
(What now?)
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Post by Admin on Aug 8, 2014 23:11:37 GMT
(skip to the verdict?)
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 10, 2014 1:53:39 GMT
(Ok. Is she going to escape after that?)
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Post by Admin on Aug 10, 2014 2:09:36 GMT
yeah, either that or have her do something in the courtroom.
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 11, 2014 1:05:56 GMT
The judge finally came in. "The jury has reached a verdict. They find Ellie Brass guilty of all counts."
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Post by Admin on Aug 11, 2014 1:58:49 GMT
Morgan squeezed Jim's hand gently. No one had expected the jury to be back so soon. In fact, everyone was still working and they'd wanted to be there, both for her and for Brass. If Ellie was sentenced to death row, she would be the only female, and there was a good chance that she would be since the kidnapping charge and two attempted murder charges were all against cops.
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 11, 2014 2:37:21 GMT
"I sentence you to life in prison, with a mandatory psychiatric exam."
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Post by Admin on Aug 11, 2014 4:10:43 GMT
That, in itself, was a good thing. Morgan didn't think anything would be accomplished by killing Ellie and knew it would only hurt Jim more. "Do you want to see if you can talk to her?" Morgan asked him quietly.
(in the courtroom or escape?)
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 12, 2014 0:48:25 GMT
Jim nodded.
(Don't mind. Either one)
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Post by Admin on Aug 12, 2014 1:00:52 GMT
"I'll wait for you." She promised.
(either works for me, same outcome, only real difference is if she escaped she could go after sara too)
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 14, 2014 2:13:59 GMT
"Thanks Morgan."
Ellie's eyes were on her dad when he approached and the look was pure evil. "Didn't take you long to find another daughter when yours was defective." She whispered.
"I love you Ellie. But Morgan is my friend."
"You should have chosen, Dad."
"Why? I can have friends Ellie."
"Or maybe you already did."
"What?"
"I should have practiced more. I should have been more on target. An inch to the left was all it would have taken. Or maybe the head instead of the spine."
"Are you serious? Don't you think you did enough damage already? I never thought you would be like this Ellie. Never." Jim was shocked.
"If Sara hadn't come in when she did..." The guards took her away before she could finish.
Jim was now worried. Sara had been threatened and Morgan was still in danger.
Morgan, on the other hand, as worried about Jim. "It's going to be okay, Jim."
"I hope so."
She smiled for him. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah. Can we go find Sara?" He wanted to see that she was safe.
"Of course. She'll be at the lab." They went back to the lab together. ********** Greg and Ecklie were waiting at the door when they arrived. "What happened?" Greg asked.
"Jury came back early." Morgan answered.
"What did they say?" asked Ecklie, giving her a hug.
"Guilty." She hugged him and then hugged Greg, not caring who saw. Their relationship wasn't a secret around the lab, but they tried not to flaunt it.
"Sentenced to life in prison. And she has to have a mandatory psych eval," said Jim sadly.
"I'm sorry, Jim," Ecklie managed to say and meant, to some extent. He was sorry his friend was hurting because of Ellie, but he had no qualms about the girl spending the rest of her life in prison for what she'd done to his daughter.
"Is Sara here? I need to talk to her."
"She and Nick were just about to go," Ecklie said. The shift was over and most of them had debanded. Finn had gone home, Russell was working a few more hours on paperwork, and he and Greg had been headed to the courtroom.
"I better go stop them." He walked away.
"He's been acting weird since he talked to Ellie. I mean, not just sad, but...weird." Morgan said, worriedly.
"Did she say something mean again?" Greg wondered.
"I don't know. He talked to her alone. I thought it was best if I stay away from her."
"Definitely for the best," Ecklie said, kissing his daughter's forehead protectively.
"Maybe he'll tell Sara." ********** Nick was wondering if they needed to stop by the courtroom as well, but had his eyes on Sara, watching her protectively.
"Jim?" Sara said suddenly. "Why are you here?"
"Can I talk to you?" Nick started to leave. "No, Nicky, you too." If anyone could get Sara to take this seriously, Nick could.
"Sure. What's up?"
"The verdict came in today."
"What is it?"
"Guilty. Life in prison." He paused. "I talked to her afterwards...She made some threats. To you and to Morgan."
"What kind of threats?" Nick asked, the hair on the back of his neck standing up, his protective nature of his girlfriend and his 'baby sister' on high alert.
"She's in prison Jim. She can't do anything."
"What kind of threats, Jim?"
"That she should have been a better shot. Shot Morgan in the spine, in the head." Jim's voice was full of pain. "That Sara shouldn't have arrived when she did."
"She won't hurt me Jim. But I'll protect Morgan."
Nick put his hand over Sara's. "Have you told Greg or Ecklie?"
Jim shook his head. "I didn't know how. After what they've been through."
"I'll help you tell them. But I don't want protection. Okay Nick?"
"No more than usual, babe," he smiled for her, trying to joke about his protective nature, but she'd been through so much in her life, he always wanted to protect her from more pain.
"Right. Come on Jim."
They all stood and walked back to their friends. ******* Ecklie was on his way out and Morgan was in the locker room with Greg.
"You found them," said Greg. He smiled. "Should we get Ecklie back?"
"I'll go get him," Nick said, excusing himself, needing a breath of fresh air.
"What's going on?"
"Jim?" Morgan looked at him. "Ellie said something, didn't she?"
He nodded.
"What?" She slipped her hand into Greg's.
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