Title: Games are Easy, Love is Hard
Chapter Four
A/N: I'm sorry if I get some of the terminology wrong in reference to the court and legal terms. I don't watch many of those CSI type shows or know anything about trials so I am just winging it, so if I get anything wrong please forgive me and show me some patience. Thanks in anticipation.
The next day Ianto woke unrefreshed due to the many nightmares he endured thorough the night. He didn't take the sedatives prescribed to him, the beer, wine and port was probably not a good combination so decided to take the risk of going to sleep without the sedative. Thankfully Jack was there to hold him through each nightmare but that meant that both men didn't get much sleep.
Ianto was not going to be called up today, as the lawyers were laying down the foundations of the trail and Mrs Thompson would be called up today. The prosecution told him that he would be called to the stand on the second or third day. Ianto decided that he wouldn't go into the court room unless he was required and his lawyer thought this was best.
On the third day Ianto was called up to the stand. Jack was in the courtroom with Tosh, Owen and Gwen to give Ianto support. With shaking legs Ianto approached the stand, the usual spiel of speaking the truth and only the truth was uttered and then the questioning began.
The defence lawyer approached Ianto who sat in the stand and confirmed who Ianto was, then went on to ask if Ianto thought to contact the police when he began to receive the notes.
"No"
"And why was that?"
"I didn't think, that it was serious"
"Oh it is usual for a homosexual to receive these types of notes?"
"What? …No"
"Objection!" the prosecution objected.
The judge asked the defence lawyer to not place personal judgements on the sexuality of the victim in the proceedings.
"Do you think that it is normal to receive notes of this nature?"
"No"
"But you thought it was nothing serious….curious"
"Objec…"
"Yes, please refrain from putting in your opinions Mr Paterson" the judge admonished the defence lawyer again.
"Mr Jones, how long have you been a homosexual?" Mr Paterson asked.
"Objection" the prosecution called out.
"I'll allow it, but I'm warning you Mr Paterson" the judge said wearily, he suspected that these proceeding were going to go in this direction considering the nature of the crime, but he had to allow that these type of questions were going to come about.
"I ask again Mr Jones, how long have you been a homosexual?"
"Since I was a teenager, I knew before puberty" Ianto said
"And how long as a practising homosexual?" Mr Paterson asked.
"Objection!" the prosecution yelled.
"Mr Paterson, is this leading to something unless you will have to abandon this line of questioning" the judge asked sternly.
"Yes, Your Honour, there is a point I am leading to"
"Get to it quickly Mr Paterson" the judge admonished.
"Can you tell when it is someone first time" Mr Paterson began again, with a slight smile on his face.
"It depends on how rela.."
"Just answer yes or no" Mr Paterson asked "can you tell when it is someone's first time"
"Yes"
"Was it Mr Thompson's first time?"
"Yes"
"Did you ask if he really wanted to have sex?"
"No, but …."
"Just yes or no"
"No"
"Did you notice that he had a tell-tale mark on his wedding finger?"
"Huh, no"
"Would you have continued if you had noticed he was married?"
"Objection!" the prosecution called out.
"Stick to the facts" the judge admonished.
"Do many married men go to these types of places"
Ianto hesitated knowing that many married men went to these places hiding who they really were but knowing that society didn't want to know that.
"Well Mr Jones, do many married men go to these types of places?"
"Yes" Ianto answered, a hush of whispers was heard through the gallery.
"Do you think that maybe you are wrecking many marriages?"
"OBJECTION!" the prosecution shouted.
"No more questions your honour" Mr Paterson said, walking back to his desk, sitting next to Mrs Thompson.
Ianto's eyes started to water but he remembered Jack saying to just keep eye contact with him and that he would be his strength. Ianto searched out for Jack, saw that he was staring at him hoping to show him strength and unity. Ianto tried to smile back at him, but he felt intimidated and helpless after the questioning.
The prosecution lawyer walked up to the stand where Ianto sat, as he wasn't dismissed as yet. It was the prosecution's turn to cross examine, he started with the usual line of questions, asking about his long relationship with his boyfriend and now being exclusive to him. Then he began to counter argue the points that the defence lawyer put to Ianto.
"Mr Jones you said that you thought that it was Mr Thompson's first time. How did you know?"
"He was nervous and enthusiastic" Ianto replied, glad that he was able to answer in more than a yes or no answer.
"Are many of the men that go there, nervous?"
"Yes" Ianto answered.
"How do you know that he was nervous?"
"He kept on looking around, like he didn't want to be seen"
"And why is that you think?'
"Well as I said earlier, many married men go there"
"Had you seen him before at this club?"
"No, I hadn't seen this man before at this club, but that could be because some men use different clubs each time"
"So could this man had done this before?"
"Objection!" the defence lawyer called out.
"Keep to the facts please" the judge said.
"Are men who go to these clubs there for sex?"
"Yes"
"And how do you know this?"
"There are areas set aside for….for these activities" Ianto said cautiously.
"So it is assumed that if men are frequenting these clubs, they are looking for sex?"
"Yes"
"So you wouldn't be asking anyone there if they did or did not want sex because all are there for sex?"
"Yes"
"What is the visibility in these clubs?"
"Mainly dark and smoky"
"Would you notice jewellery?"
"Jewellery would be hard to see in the muted lighting"
"Thank you Mr Jones"
Before Ianto could get off the stand the defence lawyer, Mr Paterson asked if he could ask one more question. He was granted this request.
"Does it bother you that sometimes some of the trysts with these men are with married men with loving wives at home?"
"Ummm…."
"That is all, thank you Mr Jones"
Shaken, Ianto left the stand stoically trying to hide that he was ruffled by the last question. Jack held out a hand to him and walked out of the courtroom with him. Tosh, Owen and Gwen falling in behind them.
Jack didn't say anything knowing that Ianto needing to process what happened because all in all Jack thought it went well but he could feel that Ianto was shaken by the questioning.
"You did well Ianto" Tosh gushed, Owen and Gwen nodding in agreement.
Ianto stared at them, not knowing what to say, and then all of a sudden he felt an uneasiness in his stomach and raced off in the direction of the toilets.
After throwing up the contents of his stomach of the breakfast that Jack and Ianto enjoyed that morning Ianto clutched at his waist. Jack grabbed a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, wet it at the sink and placed it on Ianto's forehead. "It's fine, it will be fine, just breath" Jack soothed.
A/N: Well did it seem believable? I hope so. I won't be doing Melanie's trial questioning, I am mainly focussing on Ianto and his dealing with the trail and his relationship with Jack in this sequel.