Alexis adjusted Zander's tie for him before grabbing her briefcase and her keys on their way out the door. The hearing was scheduled at 9am in front of the Grand Jury, they were to decide if the DA had enough evidence to indict Zander.
He felt so uncomfortable in the suit, but Alexis insisted on it. She said he needs to make an impression on the court, so he would suffer for the 2 hours he had to wear it. He was nervous too and that didn't help, he was fidgety and was tugging at the collar and at the sleeves of the suit, Alexis noticed.

"Would you stop that. You're making me nervous." she scolded as they stepped off the elevator in the courthouse.

"Sorry. I can't help it." he replied and she cracked a smile.

"It's okay, you have a right to be nervous. Now you sit here while I go check on a few things." she replied and showed him the bench he was to sit on and wait for her.

Zander sat down on the bench and watched her walk away from him. He didn't sit alone for very long before a familiar face joined him.

"You look nice." Emily said as she stood before him.

"Thanks .. I feel like a doofus." he replied as he tugged at the collar that was tight around his neck.

"Awe .. you don't look like one. You look very handsome." she replied as she sat down with him.

Emily noticed he was nervous as his knee bounced up and down. "You're going to do just fine in there." she said hoping that he'd take her words to heart.

"That's what Alexis has been telling me since we left the penthouse. She also adds on that I shouldn't worry .... but guess what ..I am!"

"Alexis is a very good attorney, she knows what she's doing in there, you'll see." Emily replied as she grabbed onto his hand and held it in hers.

"Thanks for being here, it really means alot to know that you'll be here waiting when this is all over." Zander replied and noticed the DA appear from the darkened corridor.

Ric noticed the two of them sitting on the bench together and walked passed without a word or a nod to Emily. She didn't much care what her boss thought of the relationship between her and Zander. She always had the job offer from Alexis in case Ric revoked her internship because of it.

"He's not giving you a hard time about me, is he?" Zander asked as Ric walked into the courtroom.

"Nothing I can't handle. Don't worry about it .. it's nothing."

Alexis came up to the two of them after she checked on a few things. "Ready for this?" she asked Zander and he looked up at her.

"No, but I guess I have no choice." he replied as he stood up from his seat.

"Don't worry ...." she began and he interrupted ..."Yeah I know, I'll be just fine." he smirked.

Emily stood up and went to him. She pressed her lips against his .... "for good luck ...." she whispered to him, he wanting more then what she was giving and she wiped the lipstick smear from his lips with her finger and giggled.

Zander and Alexis walked into the courtroom, and Zander started getting scared more so then nervous. His insides twisted and turned all sorts of ways as Alexis led him to the defense table and told him where to sit. She laid her briefcase on the table and opened it. After taking the paperwork she needed she closed it and set it down on the floor along side her chair. Zander watched her as she meticulously placed all she needed right in front of her. She finally sat down in her seat and flipped back a page on her legal pad, ready to jot down all she needed to during the hearing.

The bailiff emerged from the side door and announced ... "All rise, court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Williamson presiding." Zander rose to his feet as asked and the judge appeared from the doorway behind the bench. The judge sat down in the big leather chair on the bench and struck down the gavel to bring his courtroom to order.

"We are here today to find if the evidence against Zander Smith is substantial enough to indict him on involuntary manslaughter .. is this right, counselor?"

Ric rose to his feet. "DA Ric Lansing prosecuting for the State of New York, and yes that is correct." Ric stayed standing as the judge looked over the file in front him. "Whenever you're ready, Mr. Lansing." the judge replied and waited for Ric to begin.

"The state is ready to present into evidence the proof to prove without a shadow of a doubt that the defendant, Zander Smith did commit the involuntary act of manslaughter. We will prove that this young man not only committed this act of violence but was ordered by a third party to commit this act and he did it willingly. The defendant's character has come into question regarding his employment and who he has been known to associate with, thus giving him the motive, means and opportunity to commit the crime. The state is also wanting an indictment verdict from the Grand Jury so we may prosecute the defendant to the fullest extent of the New York state law." After giving his opening statement, Ric sat back down in his seat at the opposing table.

The judge looked in Alexis's direction and she stood up from her chair. "Counselor, your turn." the judge said as Alexis buttoned her blazer.

"Alexis Davis for the defense, your honor." she began. "The prosecution may have all kinds of evidence against my client, but it's all circumstantial, your honor. Mr. Lansing has not one piece of evidence that unequivocally proves that my client committed this crime, in fact Mr. Lansing has in his position a hospital record that proves the shadow of doubt I need in this case. The defense will argue that even though the defendant, Zander Smith was in the alley with Mr. Corinthos, dead, Mr. Smith was not near the alley when the crime was being committed, in fact we have evidence to say that the defendant was across town at the time of the killing. And while Mr. Lansing brought up Mr. Smith's employment and those he associates with, we'd like to argue the simple fact here that Mr. Smith is not a known criminal who would have access to the weapon in evidence or that Mr. Smith even knew the victim, Mr. Corinthos. The prosecution is bringing into evidence alot of what ifs and maybe's .... we the defense are here to prove without a doubt that the defendant, Zander Smith would not and did not commit the crime of involuntary manslaughter."

Alexis sat down in her seat once more and the Judge looked out over his courtroom. The Grand Jury sitting behind them, Zander felt all the eyes in the courtroom on him. He couldn't help but feel they had already tried and convicted him on appearance alone.

"Mr. Lansing, you're up first. Call your first witness." the judge asked and Ric stood up from his seat.

"The prosecution calls Port Charles police Detective Marcus Taggert to take the stand." Ric began and everyone turned their attention to the back of the courtroom as the doors opened and Detective Taggert walked in. All eyes were on him now and he glanced over at the defense table as he walked passed.

Taggert took his seat in the witness box as Ric gathered his thoughts together. "Detective Taggert, would you please tell the court in your own words what happened on the night in question."

And so it began, a few hours of questions and answers to determine Zander's fate, as he sat in the courtroom, Zander couldn't help but think how things would be so different had it not been for that fateful day when he was 15.