Heaven
Part 1
Okay I didn't exactly plan on it but after some thinking I've decided to make a sequel to Living Without You. As you all know Sharpay has moved to New York with Ryan and Kelsi and in the process broke up with Zeke. Kelsi was served with a court summons for her to testify against the man who assaulted her. And in the end Kelsi and Ryan got the best news that they were going to be parents.
The title comes from the song by Warrant, and if you've never heard it before I recommend downloading it. It's a wonderful song and I think it screams Ryan and Kelsi.
It was the biggest trial that Albuquerque has had in a long time, and its star witness Kelsi Evans was the only thing keeping Henry Patterson from being a free man. It had been days of deliberation, and finally after suffering a brutal attack from the defendant Kelsi took the stand for the prosecution
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help you God?" the man asked as Kelsi set her right hand down on the bible
"I do" she squeaked out nervously, and took a seat in the witness chair. She looked out at the scene in front of her, there he sat in a three piece suit that she was sure his lawyer had bought him, acting like he was innocent and that he'd be home for supper in a few days. She couldn't help but scowl at him as the District Attorney fiddled with his paperwork and stood up to approach Kelsi. Kelsi took a deep breath and steeled herself hoping the tears wouldn't come so soon, she looked out into the crowd of people and found Ryan her rock, her husband, the father of the child she currently carried, and the father of the child that the bastard sitting in front of her took away.
"Mrs. Evans?" the young man asked "I know this has been difficult for you, and I know you've come a long way to be here today so we'll make this short and sweet" he smiled. Kelsi nodded and let him continue "I'm going to ask a really hard question okay?" He asked smiling at her "Would you mind recounting the day in question?" Kelsi steeled herself as best as she could even though she felt her resolve wearing, but took a deep breath and closed her eyes
"I was walking home from the mall after shopping with my friends when a man grabbed me by the back of my shirt. I tried to fight him as best as I could but he hit me across the face." She said feeling the spot where he had hit her all of a sudden tense up as if it was happening all over again.
"Then what happened?" The D.A. asked
"Well he threw me against a wall, and hit me again after I continued to fight but it was no use. All I remember was waking up and seeing him on top of me raping me." Kelsi said gulping back the vomit that was threatening to burst out of her mouth, she took a drink of water from the glass that was right next to her. This was the part she dreaded bringing up, it was the part that almost took her life. "Then when I tried to run again he took out a knife and stabbed me," she finished as tears flowed freely from her eyes.
"With this knife?" The D.A. asked as he showed her the evidence bag containing the knife
"Yes sir" she answered
"And is this man in the coatroom today Kelsi?" He asked turning around to face the jury in a dramatic sweep that would rival Sharpay
"Yes he is" she answered
"Could you point him out for us?" He smiled knowing he had won. Kelsi looked at Henry and with a glint of malice in her eyes she pointed straight at him
"That's him sir," she said. "The defendant"
"Thank you Mrs. Evans." The district attorney said walking away from her, and shooting a cocky smile at the defendant and his attorney
"Your witness Mr. Dell" the judge barked out
"I have no questions at this time" he answered sitting down
"You may step down Mrs. Evans" the judge said kindly looking over at Kelsi. Kelsi stepped off the witness stand, and walked past Henry whom she didn't even look in the eyes, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of it but she could tell when she caught site of Ryan who was sitting with his hands folded. The only reason they were that way was to keep him from strangling him.
A week later
After a week of the defense making their case, saying that Henry was a victim of society, and was abused at home made him the man he is today the jury was dismissed to deliberate over the fate of Henry Patterson. Kelsi was staying at the Evans estate when the district attorney called her
"Kelsi?" he asked as she answered the phone
"Yes this is her" she answered
"This is District Attorney Alex McGee, we need your presence in the courtroom" he said crisply
"Have they reached a verdict?" She asked
"You'll just have to come and see," he answered before hanging up the phone. Kelsi had a mix of fear and excitement, they reached a verdict and so quickly at that. It could either mean that she gets to see that he rots in jail for the rest of his life or he's going to get off scott free. She quietly chewed on her bottom lip as the possibilities ran rampant through her brain. She didn't notice Ryan come up behind her and when he wrapped his arms around her she nearly jumped out of her skin
"Hey it's me" he said stroking her arm "You okay?"
"I'm fine" she answered not looking him in the eyes. "That was the district attorney, apparently they want me to come down to the courthouse now"
"They reached a verdict?" Ryan asked
"Dunno" Kelsi answered grabbing her purse, and heading towards the door. "Lets go find out." They made their way out the door. After informing Sharpay where they were going, and waiting for her after she insisted on going with them. They finally made it to the courthouse and entered through the private entrance where the D.A was waiting for them
"Ah, Mrs. Evans you finally made it." He said greeting them "If you'll just follow me." He smiled as he led them to the court room and sat them down behind him. The judge entered the room followed by Henry who was brought in wearing shackles, and then shortly afterward the 12 men and women of the jury filed into the courtroom.
"Mrs. Forman have you reached a verdict?" The judge asked getting straight to the point after every one settled in
"Yes we have your honor" the older woman replied standing up and handing the court officer a slip of paper, he handed it to the judge who nodded his head and let the officer hand it back to the Forman.
"Proceed then" he said sitting back
"We the jury find Henry Patterson, guilty of all charges" she said curtly. If Kelsi could she would have jumped up in the air, she could see Ryan close his eyes as if silently thanking God for the good news
"Sentencing will commence two weeks from today" the judge ordered slamming his gavel down. Kelsi stood up and watched as the officers took Henry away, he didn't cry, he didn't yell, all he did was look solemn as they took him out of the courtroom. She didn't really feel anything as he walked out she felt sort of numb, a good kind of numb. She took a deep breath and looked over at Ryan who seemed to be feeling the same way she did, she smiled at him as he grabbed her hand. People kept walking up to her wanting to talk to her about the case but all she really wanted was to be left alone. They made their way outside where a throng of reporters descended upon her asking questions like "How do you feel? And are you happy that the trial is over?" She just smiled politely and walked past them.
"Man they're like piranhas aren't they?" Sharpay joked as they finally made it to Ryan's car. Kelsi just nodded all she could think about was trying to start her life over now that the nightmare had finally come to an end.
As they got back to the Evans estate Kelsi and Sharpay were talk animatedly about the baby when Ryan noticed a strange car in the driveway, he looked around to see if it was a reporter's car or something but found nobody around. They walked into the house and found Zeke standing there, he didn't look well, and it looked as if he hadn't eaten in weeks which was weird for the aspiring chef
"What are you doing here?" Sharpay said not looking him in the eyes
"I heard about the trial, and wanted to be here for Kelsi" Zeke said, "she still is my friend" Kelsi glanced at Zeke and gave him a warm smile, despite what Sharpay had called him over the last few weeks he was still a good guy.
"Well there she is," she pointed at Kelsi and walked upstairs to her room. Zeke sighed and went over to give Kelsi a hug "I guess she's still not going to talk to me huh?" He asked letting Kelsi go
"I'm sorry Zeke, I thought she'd at least be civil" she answered
"What you told him to come over?" Ryan asked shocked that Kelsi had kept this from him
"Well I called him after that night and we've been talking ever since" Kelsi answered "I was hoping that she'd at least have a civilized conversation with him." Ryan just shook his head, but Kelsi was right Zeke was the only man that Sharpay loved even though she wouldn't admit it right now
"Should I go talk to her?" Zeke asked ready to bolt upstairs to hopefully get her attention
"No, I will you two stay down here" Kelsi said as she walked upstairs
"Come on man, let me get you something to eat so we can catch up" Ryan smiled taking Zeke into the kitchen. Kelsi made her way to Sharpay's door and softly knocked
"Shar its me" Kelsi said softly and opened the door, Sharpay was sitting on the bed looking up at the ceiling it looked as though she had been crying.
"Has he left yet?" Sharpay spat out, bitterness coating her voice
"No, he's downstairs with Ryan" Kelsi answered "Sharpay, I think you should at least talk to him"
"I refuse to, he broke my heart Kelsi" she said sitting up
"I know that, " she said
"Before you say it, I don't need him so don't say I do" Sharpay yelled out "I can do this all on my own." Kelsi was confused what did she mean by 'doing this on her own'
"What are you talking about Sharpay?" She asked
"Never mind" she answered knowing she let her secret almost slip
"Sharpay, I'm your sister in law you're going to eventually have to tell me, or I'll have Ryan bug it out of you" Kelsi smiled
"You really want to know?" Sharpay asked
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't" Kelsi joked
"I'm pregnant" she mumbled out
"You're what!?!?" Kelsi practically yelled jumping off of the bed "How? Well I know how" she laughed. "But when?"
"The night he broke my heart" she sighed "I found out a few days after you did, I just didn't want to ruin your joy." Kelsi paced the room for a bit trying to figure out how to react this was getting weird Sharpay pregnant with Zeke's baby the same time she was pregnant with Ryan's
"Oi" she said as she stopped and looked at Sharpay again trying to take all the information in "What are we going to do?"
"Nothing cause I'm not going to tell him, and neither are you" Sharpay answered
"But Shar, this is his baby. He's got a right to know" Kelsi said
"No, he gave up that right when he decided to dump me. I'll just figure out something he doesn't need to know" Sharpay assured her tears almost falling from her eyes
"Shar" Kelsi began
"No Kelsi, I'm not telling him. Now I need your word that you won't say anything to him" she pleaded
"But Sharpay" Kelsi argued
"I'm not kidding Kelsi, you need to do this for me" Sharpay asked again standing up and taking Kelsi's hands
"Fine, but I'm going on record saying that this is a bad idea" Kelsi answered giving into her
"Well, I appreciate that you'll keep this quiet" Sharpay said wrapping Kelsi in a hug. "Now I need for you to get rid of him"
"Come on Shar you don't have to tell him, but you could at least go downstairs and say hi. The poor boy looks like he hasn't eaten since it happened" Kelsi sighed
"Fine, I'll go say hi but that's it I want him gone" Sharpay answered stiffly. Composing herself and walking downstairs with Kelsi behind her, Zeke was the first to notice them coming downstairs and ran to Sharpay "Well?" she asked snidely
"How are you doing Sharpay?" Zeke asked hanging his head
"I'm fine," she answered and Kelsi looked at her as if to say soften up. "How's Maryland?" she asked
"Haven't been back since...." Zeke trailed off
"Oh." Sharpay answered "Well why not?" She asked, but Zeke could not answer her and part of Sharpay knew the answer. "Have you eaten?" She asked changing the subject
"Yeah, Ryan and I just had a sandwich" Zeke answered still not looking into her eyes. "I better go," he sighed and started heading for the door. "Congratulations Kelsi" he stopped to give Kelsi a hug "Thanks Ryan" he shook Ryan's hand and made his way out the door
"Finally" Sharpay heaved out
"Sharpay," Kelsi spoke up after Zeke left "That wasn't nice"
"Well serves him right" she huffed out "When we heading back anyway?"
"Tomorrow" Ryan answered taking Kelsi's hand "Early"
"Good, I can't wait to get out of here." Sharpay answered going into the kitchen leaving Kelsi and Ryan alone
"What were you two talking about up there?" Ryan asked watching Sharpay leave
"I really don't think you want to know" Kelsi laughed
"Come on Kels" Ryan pleaded
"Sorry Ryan, no dice" she smiled kissing him and following Sharpay into the kitchen. As she entered Sharpay flashed her a smile and mouthed 'Thanks for not telling him.' To which Kelsi just smiled and nodded her head.
So that's the first chapter, hope you all enjoyed. Please review by hitting that little button down there.
Thanks