Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. All rights go to RIB. As usual all OC's are mine.
A/N: This chapter will basically be entirely revolving around Christina but will involve some Finchel and Alex as well. Any mistakes regarding American Law- I apologise. Oh and Rachel and Christina do different oaths to everyone else as Rachel is Jewish and so are her children.
Chapter 10: What's The Verdict?
Christina's POV
"Honey it's time to go" my mom calls up the stairs. I look at myself in the mirror before I go. I look a mess but then that's what my lawyer wanted. The more of a mess a look, the more the jury will think the rape affected me.
Heck I could just pull out my arms with their spider web of scars and then they'll know. I join my parents and Alex (who is here for moral support). He reaches over and squeezes my hand. Maybe I can get through this after all.
When we arrive at Lima Municipal Court Alex is shuttled off into the courtroom whilst me, mom and dad go into the sequestered witness room. This is it.
"The prosecution calls Miss Christina Quinn Hudson to the stand" my lawyer calls. Okay stay calm Christina, I tell myself. I walk nervously onto the stand but I spot Alex in the stands and he gives me a reassuring smile.
"Do you affirm that all the testimony you are about to give in the case now before the court will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; this you do affirm under the pain and penalties of perjury?" she (my lawyer) says to me.
"I do" I say and sit down.
"Could you state your name and address for the court record?" she asks me.
"Christina Quinn Hudson. I live at 231 West Road, Lima, Ohio" I say.
"Miss Hudson when did you meet the defendant, Jesse St James?"
"I met him about 2 months ago at my school McKinley High. He was the assistant music teacher. Or at least I thought he was"
"What was Mr St James's relationship with you, Miss Hudson?"
"We had no relationship. He was my mom's exboyfriend and he kidnapped my older sister when she was a baby"
"And he raped you in the auditorium of your school. Could you tell the court what happened Miss Hudson?"
"He came in after I'd finished practicing for Glee. I was scared because he knew my name without me telling him. He pulled off his wig and I recognized who he was. He grabbed me and pinned me down. Then he kissed me and ripped my clothes off. That when it happened. He kicked me off the stage and the next thing I knew I was in hospital"
"How has the rape affected you Miss Hudson?"
"I still have nightmares. I still have the scars and I started cutting myself to stop the pain of remembering"
"Could you show us?"
I take a deep breath and pull up my shirt sleeves. The scars are on show to everyone.
"Thank you Miss Hudson". My lawyer steps away and Jesse's lawyer steps up. I look over at Alex again for reassurance. He flashes yet another smile and I prepare to be ripped to shreds.
"Miss Hudson what possible reason could Jesse have to rape you?" Jesse's lawyer asks. He has a horrible, sneery face, the kind that just makes you want to punch him.
"He liked my mom and she married my dad instead. He kidnapped my sister and spent 16 years in jail for it. Isn't it obvious? He wanted revenge on our family"
"You do realise that his parole conditions prevented Jesse from working with children and from contacting any member of your family. Why would he risk being thrown in jail again?"
"Because the desire for revenge is more than the desire not to go back to jail. With all due respect you can make it sound like Jesse didn't rape me but I know what happened to me. And you can't cover over that"
"No more questions" Jesse's lawyer says. I smile because the ordeal is over and I managed to make Jesse's lawyer look like a twit. Score!
Rachel's POV
I wanted to hug Christina after she came off the stand but I was still sequestered. Alex did though. I'm so glad she has such a great boyfriend to support her. And now it's my turn. "You'll do great honey" Finn says kissing me. "I know I just didn't think I'd ever do this for two of my children" I say. "I know but you can and you will honey" he says. He squeezes my hand and then my name is called. "The prosecution calls Rachel Barbra Hudson to the stand".
"Do you affirm all the testimony you are about to give in the case now before the court will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; this you do affirm under the pain and penalties of perjury?"
"I do" I say.
"Could you state your name and address for the court record?"
"Mrs Rachel Barbra Hudson. I live at 231 West Road, Lima, Ohio"
"What is your relationship to the victim, Mrs Hudson?"
"I'm her mother"
"Do you have a relationship with Mr St James?"
"He was my ex-boyfriend and he kidnapped my daughter"
"How has the rape affected you and your family?"
"Christina hasn't been herself. She can't sleep, she doesn't eat and she started cutting herself. She doesn't want to talk to us, she doesn't really want to talk to anyone"
"So why would you say Mr St James did this to her?"
"Because he wants revenge. We had him jailed for his crime against my elder daughter and he wanted his own back"
"Thank you Mrs Hudson. No further questions"
Now it's Jesse's lawyer's turn.
"Mrs Hudson, would you not say that rape is going a little far for revenge?"
"Yes I would but then Jesse's always been overdramatic. My daughter would not lie about something as painful as that"
"Maybe she wanted to sleep with Mr St James and she lied so as not to hurt you?"
"I know my daughter better than you. She would never do that. Ever" I say.
"No further questions" Jesse's lawyer says and he looks like he knows he's a beaten man.
I run over to the stands and am finally able to hug my daughter.
Finn's POV
I want to punch that jackass Jesse in the face for what he did to my daughter. Unfortunately I am not able to do that but I can still go out and defend her as best I can.
"The prosecution calls Mr Finn Christopher Hudson to the stand" our lawyer calls.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"
"I do"
"Please state your name and address for the court record"
"Mr Finn Christopher Hudson. 231 West Road, Lima, Ohio"
"Mr Hudson what is your relationship to the victim?"
"I'm her father"
"Do you have any relationship to Mr St James?"
"He kidnapped my daughter. We also went to the same high school in freshman year and he was my wife's ex-boyfriend"
"Do you have a close relationship with your daughter?"
"Yes. We're very close. She would tell me anything"
"Would she lie to you?"
"No. Never"
"Thank you Mr Hudson. No further questions"
Jesse's lawyer has to ask me questions next. Boy am I looking forward to making him look stupid.
"Mr Hudson you said your daughter would never lie to you. Why did she lie about cutting herself?"
"I don't know. But I know that she didn't lie about being raped. We have medical records to prove it"
"But surely if she lied about this she could have lied about that too?"
"No. Like I said we have records to prove it. And a girl would never lie about something as painful as rape"
"No further questions" he says.
I go and sit by Rachel and Christina. Now all we can do is wait.
Christina's POV
We've done everything we can now all we have is the doctor's testimony. Hopefully she seals it for us. I'm pretty sure Jesse is going to jail.
"The prosecution calls Dr Alice Jakes to the stand"
"Dr Jakes do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I do"
"Dr Jakes when did you first meet Christina Hudson?"
"About 2 months ago. She came in after a rape incident"
"Can you tell us what Miss Hudson's injuries were?"
"She was bleeding vaginally and from a head wound. She had several broken ribs and bruised wrists as well"
"Was this consistent with a rape attack?"
"Yes absolutely. We ran a rape kit on Miss Hudson as well and this showed signs of semen which would not have been there unless she had intercourse"
"Did she allow you to do the rape kit easily?"
"No. She screamed and pulled away. We had to sedate her"
"Is this consistent with rape?"
"Yes. We often have difficulty doing the rape kit"
"So what is your overall conclusion?"
"Miss Hudson was raped"
"Thank you. No further questions"
I smile. There's no way Jesse's lawyer will ever be able to get back from this. He'll be going to jail and I can get on with my life.
"Dr Jakes is there any chance the intercourse was consensual?"
"If it was just the vaginal injuries then maybe but Miss Hudson's injuries and her reaction to the rape kit shows that this was not consensual"
"She couldn't have faked it then?"
"There's no possible way she could have"
"But is it possible that another man raped her?"
"Possible but unlikely"
"No further questions"
Now there's only Jesse to go and there's no way he can wriggle his way out of this one.
"The defense calls Jesse St James to the stand"
Jesse walks up, handcuffed and with a vengeful glare on his face. This doesn't matter to me. He's going to jail forever and he knows it.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I do"
"Please state your name and previous address to the court"
"Jesse Lucas St James. I lived at 131 Litchfield Road, Westerville, Ohio before I went to jail" he says.
"How did you know Christina Hudson?"
"She's the daughter of my ex-girlfriend"
"Mr St James did you rape her?"
"I did. She was asking for it"
"You do realise rape is a serious offence?"
"Of course. But she was asking for it"
"Do you realise you have also broken your parole conditions?"
"It was for a good cause"
"No further questions" his lawyer says. He puts his head in his hands as he walks away. Jesse has completely blown it now.
Our lawyer steps up.
"Mr St James why did you rape Christina Hudson?"
"Her family got me stuck in jail. I wanted my revenge"
"Isn't rape going a little far?"
"It was the method of revenge I chose. Murder isn't my style"
"You realise you have ruined Christina Hudson's life?"
"Her family ruined mine first" he says.
"No further questions" she says.
I turn to Alex and kiss him. "We've won" I say.
It was only about 30 minutes until the jury came back. I know what they are going to say, even before they say it.
"Mr Foreman has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asks.
"We have"
"And was it unanimous?"
"It was"
"How do you find Mr St James?"
"In the case of the State of Ohio vs Jesse St James how do you find?"
"Guilty. With parole withheld as he violated his previous conditions. He will serve a life sentence"
Jesse is dragged off by the officers and we stare it each other with pure contempt.
We leave the courtroom and cheer. We will never see Jesse St James again.
Review?