A/N: Look at me on a roll with these updates... haha

Thank you for your reviews! I love reading what you think ;)

Keep them coming!

Also quick disclaimer, I am not a lawyer nor an expert in law and certainly not Illinois law... so I researched a little but basically this is all fiction... and probably so far from right lol

Reasonable Doubt – Chapter Ten

Erin POV

"Don't forget we have your preliminary hearing today babe." I scroll through my emails with a frown of concentration, munching on leftover chinese, while Jay makes messes around in the kitchen.

"What did you say?" He calls over the sound of the blender, I roll my eyes thinking about his lecture from just five minutes before.

You can't have chinese for breakfast. It's not a breakfast food. Excuse me while I go and cook something that resembles breakfast.

"We have your prelim hearing today." I call out again from my place on the couch, too loud since the blender has stopped.

"Prelim hearing?" He scrunches his face up, leaning against the archway.

My eyes take a moment to appreciate his shirtless body before dropping back to my phone.

"Yeah, basically the judge has to be pleased there's enough probable cause to take the accused to court." The words fall out, stretching the sore muscles in my neck.

"The accused?"

"You babe, the defendant. That's what you're referred to." I shrug sympathetically, trying to remind myself this isn't his wheelhouse.

"Aren't we past the point of ensuring they have probable cause at this point?"It's hard to miss the bitterness.

"It's just a formality babe, I'm sorry. In Illinois whenever a defendant has been charged with a felony offense the court has to conduct a preliminary hearing."

"Great. What pointless formality do I need to be put through after this?"

"You'll be arraigned."

"I just want this mess over." His head drops back, eyes closed while he's finds his composure or strength to continue.

"I know babe. You'll have an arraignment where you'll be formally charged with the crime and it will be your chance to enter your plea."

"Not guilty. What a waste of tax payer dollars."

"That's the system. Takes months, sometimes years to even get to trial." He groans before leaning over, elbows on the kitchen counter and his head thumping loudly.

I put my phone and chinese down before heading over and placing my hand on his back.

"But then, we'll be at trial and all we'll have to do is give the jury reasonable doubt you didn't do this." He looks over his shoulder at me, I can almost hear his silent 'oh please'.

"Right."

"Alright, it'll be a little harder with the public spectacle they have made of you. We will really have to show the jurors you are innocent. They can only have doubt in their mind, doubt that you're really the man the prosecution are going to paint at trial."

I bite my lip, knowing he won't like the next topic.

"Which is why I really think you need to get out there, in the media. This was the prosecutors strategy. They leaked it when they pressed charges, how do you think the media covered it so quick? To bias the jury. They need a win, this case has gone unsolved too long."

"No Erin. I won't be paraded in front of the camera's."

"You already are, but you need to sell your narrative. Take control and do it your way."

"I'm not selling anything. This is me… this is who I am. This is my damn life." He raises his voice in anger and conviction, standing tall and glaring down at me.

"You think I don't know that? I'm doing everything in my god damn power to make sure you have a life to live. Not one rotting away in a jail cell. So just think about it alright?" My eyes are drowning in tears, desperation clinging to me.

"No." I narrow my eyes, the stubborn nature of Jay making my eye twitch.

"Do you trust me?" There's silence for too long before he consents.

"Yes."

"Then trust I know what I'm doing. This is my job and I'm damn good at it." I bite out angrily before heading to the bedroom doorway before pausing.

"You want a life when this is all over, you want to have one with me? Then suck it up Jay." He opens his mouth to respond but I disappear into the room before he can, the door slamming and replacing his words.

"Hey asshole." Shock filled faces of nurses and doctors within earshot turn to me abruptly.

I watch Will Halsteads jaw drop, eyes widening at me.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Erin Lindsay."

"Right, of course. Well if you don't mind. I'm busy." I narrow my eyes at him before closing the distance between us.

"Actually, I do mind." I grab his arm tightly and push him into the empty room behind him.

"Ow! Hey, you shouldn't be in here." His hands find his hips, staring down at me in such a way I'm sure he thinks is intimidating.

"Yeah well, you shouldn't be such a shitty brother. We're both disappointed."

"Excuse me? Where do you get off?"

"Jay deserves better than you. I can see the shame all over your face. You're right about one thing, you should be full of shame. But not about Jay but with yourself. How you could turn your back on him I'll never understand."

"He murdered someone." He hisses back, eyes alit with anger.

"Allegedly. Haven't you heard innocent until proven guilty?"

"Whatever, I can't stand for that."

"He didn't do this."

"You seem awfully invested for an attorney off the case."

"I'm not dropping the case, I care for your brother. He's innocent and I'll be damned sure to prove it." My eyes narrow dangerously.

"You care for him? I see." Will gives me a once over, his look saying it all.

"More than you do apparently." I roll my eyes.

"But here's how it's gonna go. He will show up everyday until you talk to him, at your work, at your apartment building for all your neighbours to see, at your local coffee shops. Or maybe I should say yes to one of the many requests for an interview and he can talk all about his close relationship with his brother. How supportive you've been through all this. Try running from the shame then." My voice is threatening, my eyes lethal.

"What does he want?" He finally relents.

"He wants to solve the damn case. To clear his name." Will scoffs and crosses his arms.

"To find out who really killed Allie. For justice."

"What does he want with me?"

"Just a damn conversation. You know where he lives, so show up or I'll make you regret it."

"Well that was a waste of time." It's the first words Jay has spoken directly to me since our fight this morning.

By the time I got to court all I had time to offer was a comforting hand in his before the Judge silenced the court.

"Even without the murder weapon they have the roommate testimony." Jay grunts in reply, staring out the window.

"To be straight with you, they'll still use the murder weapon."

"How?"

"They could mention it in front of the jury and before I object they say 'withdrawn'."

"Damn it."

"Or they'll get you on the stand and question you about the fact you volunteered your DNA. Depending on your answer, they'll argue relevance to have the DNA results be included in evidence."

"Okay. You can stop making me feel better now." I sigh loudly, not making a move to turn the car on.

"I'm sorry about this morning." I finally whisper, closing my eyes to rid the evidence of my tears.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm lucky to have you… I'm just not comfortable with all… that."

"It's our best bet Jay." I turn to him tears running down my cheek, he reaches over to wipe them away.

"I don't want to lose who I am during this nightmare."

"Well I don't want to lose you. Who cares if you have to have some interviews, tell your story… have them frame you as a hero. Because it's the damn truth." My hand hits the steering wheel, trying to blow off steam.

"I'll think about it. I know you're doing what's best for me."

"Okay." I lean into his palm, closing my eyes briefly.

"We need to pick the discovery up from my office."

"Wow." Jay mutters while I just groan when I see my office piled high with boxes relating to Jay's case.

"Yep." I deadpan in reply.

"Why is there so much?"

"Some of this will be useless but they'll want to drown me in it. They wanted you to take the damn plea… there might even be another offer down the line." I tuck some hair behind my ear, making my way to the boxes.

"So what do you do?"

"I have to find what they don't want me to, in all of that. They're probably hiding something." My hand rests on one of the boxes, biting my lip in thought.

Flashback – one day ago

"Lindsay." The DA sits across from me, notepad in front of him.

"Collins."

"Did he take the deal?"

"I told you he wouldn't."

"That's a shame, I was hoping your client would be smart here."

"Don't be condescending. Why do you want the plea so bad?" I raise in eyebrow leaning back comfortably in the chair.

"A swift resolution is best for everyone."

"Most especially for the murderer. Least especially for the victim and my client."

"Your client is the murderer." He leans forward on his elbows, eyebrows drawn together.

"Alleged. I shouldn't have to keep reminding everyone of that."A simple shrug is my answer, neither of us backing down with our stare.

"This can't be about the publicity. You called the press." I narrow my eyes, reading his features only to be met with more silence.

"Send me the discovery." His eyes finally flinch, a flicker of something unknown in his gaze.

"If I do, you know what that means right?"

"It means you send me the discovery. You catch on slow for a DA."

"It means the plea is off the table."

"My client doesn't want the plea. But I do want to know what's so interesting in the discovery."

"Lindsay."

"Send it over. End of conversation." My chair slides back abruptly, swinging my bag over my shoulder and waltzing out of the conference room.

Jay POV

"Will." His name is quiet falling from my lips, confusion on my face.

"Who's at the door babe?" Erin calls out as she approaches me in a singlet and shorts, ready for bed.

"About time." She spits out at Will while I frown at her confused.

"Erin, this is my brother Will. Will, this is Er-"

"We've met." My eyes widen as they fly back towards my brother, feeling lost.

"When I was in jail?"

"At the hospital today."

"I showed up to give Will a friendly push in the right direction. Isn't that right?" I don't miss the fearful look on his face, and the terrifying look on my girlfriends.

"So this explains it." He smirks over at me, hands in his pockets.

"What?" The question escapes as a growl, eyes narrowing at him.

"What dads money bought you. Why she's stuck around."

"Fuck you. I can't be bought."

"Don't kid yourself, why you still here? Your payday? It's gone, my father won't pick the tab back up. He's done." My eyes drop to the floor briefly, hurt filling me.

Erin's hand finds mine, her other coming up to run along my arm in support.

"I'm here because unlike others in his life, I actually care about him. I believe him, I haven't known him his whole life like you… so I don't know why you and Pat are being such jag-offs about this but I won't abandon him."

"What are you doing here Will?" My voice is harsh, finding my fight, picking up my cues from Erin.

"Ensuring your girlfriend doesn't follow through on her threats." I scrunch my face up confused, looking to her for answers.

"Wise decision." Is her simple retort, eyes finding mine in encouragement.

"Come in." I shake my head at the both of them, feeling even luckier to have Erin in my corner.

"So do you give these perks to all your clients?" My fist balls into a fist as a reflex, my mouth opening to bite back.

"The threats or the sex?" She's quick witted and not at all intimidated.

"Both. Either." He shrugs over at her.

"Tell me first, were you always this much of an jackass?"

"Erin, babe." Her blazing hazel eyes turn to me.

"Sorry." Her hand lands on my chest, angling her body towards me.

"It's okay, but I really need to talk to Will." She nods while I place a kiss on her hairline.

"'Kay. I'm just not a fan of your family."

"And while I could watch you dish out insults all night, I need some answers."

"I'll be in the other room if you need me." She leans in for a quick kiss, conveying her support silently.

"Erin." My brother nods at her as she moves past him.

"Asshole." She throws back without a care.

"She's certainly spirited." I chuckle, eyes following Erin until she's out of sight.

"She's been the best thing to ever happen to me. Even when my life is falling apart."

"I'm uh- I'm happy for you man."

"Are you?" I hit back, so much resentment that I'm drowning, knowing I need to clear the fog clouding my thoughts to get the answers I've been searching for.

A/N: Thank you for reading, please let me know your thoughts.

I was going to take a break from writing this weekend... let's see if you can convince me otherwise hahahah

:)