Disclaimer: Nothing's mine, etc.

'As a surgeon, how would you describe Dr Kingston?'

'Skilled.' Jess paused to think for a moment. 'Determined.' A smirk teased the corner of his mouth. 'Overconfident.' He sighed, as if admitting it despite his own will, 'He's a genius.'

'According to you is this good or bad?'

Jess kept the prosecutor's look, remaining calm despite the lawyer's obvious attempt to lead him on.

'I gave up putting labels on people a long time ago.'

'Yet, what do you think of what Dr Kingston is doing?'

'I think it's ground-breaking.'

'And is this a good thing?'

'He gave some desperate people a chance,' he said, leaning slightly forward.

'Not all of them survived to see the results.'

Jess nodded grimly. He was aware of how that seemed to the outsiders. Ambitious doctors who wanted to succeed on their innocent patients' expense. By assumption society assumed that patients were helpless, naive people and doctors were potentially insolent, ambitious asses with delusions of grandeur. Patients were suffering the injustice of their illness and their attending doctors were somehow supposed to right the wrongs. Somehow, no matter how supposedly informed society was, there was always the unmet expectation that doctors were supposed to have some divine knowledge and skill and cure the ill. No matter what. However, when a doctor did try to break some new ground, he was labeled arrogant or lunatic.

'All patients signed the inform consent,' Jess explained patiently. 'All of them were talked through the risks of undergoing an operation in their condition.'

'Do you think there was anything wrong with this project?'

Jess' brows rose.

'This project was a rare chance for critically ill patients to get a chance to survive.'

'Unless, of course, they didn't make it through the surgery.'

'I don't think I understand you,' Jess licked a lip. 'Do you imply every patient that undergoes a surgery is supposed to make it and get better in the end?'

'I don't know, Dr Mariano, you're the surgeon. Don't you go into each operation believing the patient will make it and get better in the end? Or do you play chances with critically ill patients because who would care to get into detail about the death of a dying person anyway?'

'Objection, Your Honor!' the defense lawyer jumped up, his face red.

'Objection accepted.'

'What are you implicating?' Jess narrowed his eyes, the dark brown of his irises darkening ever so slightly.

Rory gripped at the wooden edge of her seat. Don't let him get to you.

'Mister Mariano, all facts are pretty self-explanatory. A man coming of a troubled past finds himself in a situation of power. It's not your first time disregarding protocol.'

Rory leaned forward, her heart hammering wildly. He's openly provoking you. Don't let him get to you.

'Did you violate protocol in these surgeries, doctor Mariano?' the prosecution lawyer pressed.

Jess held the prosecutor's look.

'No.'

'Are you sure? Because you did admit violating protocol before.'

Jess answered without batting an eye.

'It was once and it was in the patient's best interest.'

'And you would do it all over again if you were put in the same situation?'

'In that particular situation, yes.'

'Like those patients in this so-called project?'

There was not a trace of doubt when Jess answered.

'No.'

'You didn't do what was in their best interest?'

'I didn't violate protocol.'

'Even in this last surgery?' the prosecution's lawyer insisted.

'Even in this last surgery.'

'Why is it then that doctor Kingston says otherwise?'

Rory's blood froze. A thousand alarms set up in her head. That's why Jess was the one the prosecution was after. It was all a setup.

Jess blinked stoically, as if he had somehow expected the prosecutor's words.

'I don't know.'

'Your name is Paris Geller?'

'Yes.'

'And you're a colleague of doctor Mariano?'

'Yes.'

'How long have you worked with him?'

'Four years.'

'So you know him quite well?'

Paris shrugged.

'I think so.'

'How would you describe doctor Mariano?'

'Can you specify?'

'Would you describe him as disciplined?'

Paris suppressed a huff.

'It would be one of the last words in my list.'

'And what would your list include?'

She didn't hesitate.

'Arrogant.'

'Arrogant?'

'Especially when you first meet him. Chronologically, you'll first notice that he's quite full of himself and isn't afraid to show it. It will get on your nerves but you'll tolerate it because he's skilled and, more often than not, right. Then you'll figure he's painfully forward. He's also sulky and sarcastic and has some serious brooding tendencies, especially when the love of his life isn't around.'

The lawyer's eyebrows wriggled but Paris continued before he had time to pose a question.

'Good.'

'Good?'

'Oh yes.'

'In what sense?'

'In every sense there is.'

Paris leaned forward, her words ringing loud and clear as she turned to look Jess in the eye.

'Beyond his thick stubborn skin, Jess Mariano is the best damn doctor I've ever known, both as a surgeon and as a person. He has more skill and practical experience than most resident surgeons around, but that's not even my point. What differs him from any other doctor I know is Jess Mariano's integrity. He would never, and I mean never act against a patient's best interest and this trial is the product of a cheap setup.'

The Judge leaned forward.

'Miss Geller, if the Court needs your opinion about the feasibility of this trial, you'll be by all means asked for it. Until then I'd like to prompt your respectful attitude.'

'Excuse me, Your Honor. Can I explain?'

'Explain what?'

'Why this trial is a setup.'

'Miss Geller!'

'I can prove doctor Mariano is innocent.'

'Objection, Your Honor!'

There was a strained silence where Paris met the Judge's look openly.

'Finish, Miss Geller.'

'I know for a fact that doctor Kingston signed a new professional insurance contract right before this project started.'

'Isn't this common practice for most medical professionals?' the Judge asked.

'Not like this,' Paris shook her head. 'This is the kind of insurance that's so insanely costly, it covers any case of malpractice. However, there's one condition. The contractor must be proven not liable. It secures the chief of surgery in case of staff malpractice. Doctor Mariano's bio and Randall's case were right there along with the insurance policy and this is easy enough to prove if you check doctor Kingston's office.'

'What are you implying, Miss Geller?'

'I'm implying that this project was setup for court before it started and doctor Mariano was picked to be the scapegoat.'

There was inidignant mutter among the audience.

The Judge hammered his gavel.

'Silence!'

The mutter died out and people strained to hear what the Judge's next question would be.

'How did you get this information, Miss Geller?'

Paris took a breath, giving Doyle who was also in the audience an apologetic look.

'I was in doctor Kingston's office when he wasn't there.'

'And what were you doing there?'

'Something stupid.'

'Answer the question, Miss Geller.'

'I was trying to falsify next month's schedule so that I'd have less night shifts.'

The Judge looked doubtful as to whether Paris was serious or outrageously disrespectful.

'It's true,' she shrugged helplessly. 'I haven't slept for more than two hours straight ever since my baby son was born. I'm suffering severe sleep deprivation and chose a stupid way to handle this.'

'You can lose your job for this, Miss Geller, you realize that?'

'Jess could lose his freedom for less,' she shrugged dejectedly. 'Doesn't feel right, don't you think?'

'Let's go home,' Jess looped a hand around Rory's shoulders, guiding her out of the courtroom with steady and determined steps. 'I wanna do something mundane.'

Rory looked up at him, finding his features stoically composed as they passed by people from the audience, their comments and congrats coming muffled through the buzz of adrenaline still circulating in their system.

Jess guided her round a couple of reporters who asked for an interview, giving them all a patient but firm 'No comment', his steps quick as he walked her towards the exit of the courthouse. There was a seemingly easy smile on his face as they passed by the guards at the exit, exchanging curt nods. His smile was meant to pass for negligent but Rory could tell it was forced. He was fighting to keep his relaxed demeanor and she wondered at his tenacity. He had sat through the whole trial without once letting his nerves take the better of him. He had to be exhausted. She knew for a fact that she was and she wasn't even the one who had been questioned and dissected to shreds only to be sewed back together again.

Rory looked up at him, trying to gauge his real frame of mind but as they stepped out of the courthouse, camera flashes blinded her and she squinted, lifting an elbow to shade her eyes. Jess' grip tightened round her shoulders and he ushered them away from the mini crowd of journalists. Thankfully, they didn't follow. Kingston had to be next out of the building, escorted by a couple of police officials. The press had always been more interested in the losing party in a trial. Rory didn't care, as long as they got further from the crowd.

She saw a cab pulling at the curb a couple of blocks down the main street. She tilted her head in its direction and Jess nodded in affirmation. They headed in its direction, step by step getting closer to their escape. Then she felt it. The slightest shake of his fingers against hers, a restrained jerk of his elbow over her shoulder-blade. She looked up, finding his face uncharacteristically pale.

'Hey,' she stopped, reaching a hand to touch his clean-shaven jaw. 'You okay?'

His look was transfixed, aimed somewhere behind her, his jaw ticking.

'Hey,' she cupped his cheek, 'What's wrong?'

His chin trembled under her touch, the notion gradually taking up his whole body, defying the strain of his tense muscles. He was shaking despite his effort to regain control over his own body.

She stepped forward and wrapped both arms around him, keeping him close in an awkward embrace that was meant mostly to support him.

'Just a couple of steps more,' she said softly, 'We're almost there.'

She pressed her lips to his pulse spot, feeling the wild hammering of his heart both through his shirt and against her lips.

'Oh babe,' she whispered against his neck, 'I'm so sorry you had to go through this.'

She sniffed, willing herself to keep her emotions checked.

'It's over now.' She drew back to have a better look at him, caressing the side of his face with her palm, smoothing his hair back. 'It's over.'

His eyes roamed her face blindly, as if trying to recognize and hold onto something familiar but he was getting more and more lost in his head. His lips were slightly parted as he sucked in short puffs of air.

Rory blinked rapidly, as if trying to regain her focus herself,

'It's over, babe,' she repeated. 'We're almost there. Do you think you can walk with me?' she searched his eyes apprehensively, trying to communicate some of her resolve through her look.

'I'll hold you like this,' she said, moving so that she was at his side and swung his arm was over her shoulders, wrapping both her arms around his middle so he could lean on her. 'Just a couple of steps more, hon.'

She started a slow pace and Jess followed her lead stiffly, his feet tangibly wobbly. They made a couple of steps but then he came to a halt, making her look up.

'I think I'm gonna be sick,' he said hoarsely.

She nodded, navigating them towards a back alley to the side of the main street. As soon as they were off the main street, Jess reached for the wall to his left and leaned forward, emptying his breakfast over the pavement, taking deep breaths as he tried to brace himself.

She rubbed his back comfortingly, supporting him.

Jess leaned both palms against the concrete wall, pressing his forehead ahead against the cold concrete, his eyes squeezed shut in an effort to regain control over his breathing.

'You did good,' Rory whispered, wrapping both hands around him from behind, her cheek pressing to his back, looking for contact. His muscles felt tense against her skin and he was still shaking, although less than before. She held onto him, feeling the squeeze of a quiet sob in her chest. Her heart was breaking for him, the anguish and apprehension washing over her in sweeping waves. She felt his suit jacket get wet under her cheek, realizing her tear ducts had betrayed her. He, on the other hand, took slow, deep breaths, his strained muscles gradually starting to relax. It took him a while, but the shivers went away and he felt warm and solid again.

'Come here,' he whispered as he turned around and wrapped his arms around her, his hold feeling strong and secure again, his palm rubbing slow circles against her back.

'It's over,' he repeated her words from before, making her chuckle through a sob.

'We...' she sniffed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, 'we should find a better reprise. It's over sounds like Porky Pig got his lines wrong.'

She sniffed again, feeling her breathing gradually return to normal.

'Look at us, our emotions all over the place,' she chuckled and shook her head, 'We should definitely find a better reprise.'

He smiled in her hair, kissing the top of her head.

'Have anything particular in mind?'

'You're my hero, Jess Mariano,' she squeezed him into a tighter embrace.

'You're right,' Jess chuckled, pulling her closer, 'I already like this reprise better.'

They stood in a dark New York alley on a workday afternoon holding onto each other, grateful they got to exist in the same time and space along with each other.

'They changed the story because of it. After they heard the song being performed for the first time, they knew the story had to be about Elza. They rewrote the whole script all over again because of a couple of a song.'

'Are you trying to make an epiphany out of a Disney movie?'

'Hey,' she rose a finger to point out, 'Disney's all about epiphany.'

He turned to look at her for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching with the start of a smile, then looked back up as his smile continued its way to his eyes.

They were lying on the bed, facing the ceiling in comfortable silence.

His tie was loose and her heels were lying kicked on the floor.

'I think they chose you because you could pull it off.'

His brows rose but he waited for her to elaborate.

'You're a remarkable surgeon, Jess. I know you would probably wave it off as a praise from your girlfriend had I said it earlier, but I'm your colleague too and being such I'm entirely captivated by your drive and integrity. They chose you because you had the guts to go with your talent. Please don't ever doubt how good you are at what you do.'

His face was a tight knot of restrained emotion. She knew him well enough not to expect him to bleed out his inner insecurities on the spot. But he had them. Everyone did.

And her opinion mattered. To him it meant the world and she had an inner conviction that he needed to know how she looked up to him. Because she did. He was her first example of practical medicine. Her hero. He was so many things to her, sometimes she wondered if it was healthy to look up to someone that much.

He let out a sigh and she knew it cost him some effort to keep his cool demeanor after being under so much pressure during the last couple of weeks.

'Thanks for not questioning me,' he said and gave her a sideways look that made her heart skip a couple of beats. There was a newfound determination in his eyes and she felt an overwhelming wave of relief and gratitude that they had gone through this and gone out stronger. She licked a lip, composing her face into a seemingly nonchalant smile.

'No problem.'

They lay like this for a while, then she turned to the side so she was facing him too.

'When did you know?'

'Know what?'

'When did you know that you liked me?'

He folded an arm under his head.

'You mean, besides being desperate to do the nasty with you in the break room?'

She swatted his arm and he smirked, knowing she was thankful he could make light of the situation. The past couple of weeks had been emotionally exhausting, they needed to let themselves go every now and then.

He thought for a moment, getting more serious.

'When you stepped up for Helen after the informed consent fight.'

'How so?'

'When you called me on my shit. That's when I knew you cared and... somehow I wanted you to.'

'It wasn't insta-love then?'

He chuckled and shook his head.

'God, no. It's still going on.'

'What is?'

'Me falling for you.'

He threaded his fingers through her hair and looked at her.

'It's still in progress and keeps getting better.'

She felt her chest warm and a blush crept up her cheeks. He smiled at her embarrassment and asked a question of his own.

'What about you?'

'What about me?'

He rose an eyebrow questioningly.

'When did you know?'

She didn't hesitate.

'When I learned about your mom.'

His face grew harder. He didn't ask but the question was in the air and she explained anyway.

'That's when you started making sense. Your personality, the badass attitude, what was beneath it. Until then, I wasn't sure I could trust my gut about you.'

'That's weird, though?'

He put it like a question and she smiled.

'Not at all. It made you who you are. And I'm thankful for the man you've become.'

'And who's that?'

'Someone whose head I could break pieces of fine furniture into.'

Jess kept silent.

'It is a good thing,' she elaborated.

'Oh. Okay.'

...

The buzz was loud and woke them up. They had fallen asleep on the bed while talking, facing each other. Both checked on their pagers, finding they had gone off simultaneously. Rory's grin met Jess' as they looked at each other.

'Let's go save some lives.'

TBC