Again, I truly cannot even begin to express my love for all of you. You guys got me over 160 reviews, which is AMAZING, and I am forever grateful - even for chiruri chikorate, who is forever unsatisfied and lives off of insulting my work (whoever went onto their stories and sent them horrible and threatening guest reviews because of what they keep saying to me... rather unnecessary, but you were very sweet to do that for me. Still, let's try to be at least cordial to one another, guys!). Shout out to the fabulous guest reviewer who reviewed every single chapter, AND shoutout to missdallywinston whose review made me smile more than I have in a long ass time.
Also, just to clear things up: Hanna isn't hiding some huge secret. She's just afraid of bonding with the girls because she knows they've all changed, and she's afraid of getting her heart broken again once they all leave to go home. But of course that doesn't mean OTHER characters aren't hiding things, because then we wouldn't have a story, would we? ;)
Now for your chapter. Like I said, something HUGE happens this chapter that is a huge game changer for the trial, and after this happens, you're both going to want to throw something at Mona Vanderwaal while also bow down to her in unworthiness. Enjoy!
Once the five minute break had ended, Emily sauntered back into the courtroom with a heaving sigh. She had engaged in a nice conversation with Spencer and Aria, and now she had to dive right back into a case that Mona Vanderwaal was somehow winning. God, Rosewood's judicial system sucked.
She had her hand interlocked in Paige's as she ran her other hand along the rows of pews, bumping her fingers on the backs of them as she kept walking along. It was doing a good job of calming her nerves, yet there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that she had to land on an even number by the time she got to the end for good luck. Even. Odd. Even. Odd. Even...
"Would you stop that?" Paige said, tugging on Emily's hand and pulling her away from the pews before she could finish.
"Stop what?"
"I know what you're doing," Paige said knowingly, giving Emily a look that told her she wasn't stupid. "You're tapping the pews for good luck."
Emily played with the cuffs on the sleeves of her blouse, avoiding Paige's eyes. "It's comforting," she said uneasily, but Paige took her finger to Emily's chin, tilting her head upward so that she was looking into Paige's kind brown eyes.
"Things are shaky now, I admit," Paige said earnestly. "But you guys will win. There's too much evidence against her!"
"The fact that the evidence is from ten years ago isn't helping us," Emily said gloomily as she folded her arms across her chest. "Mona always finds a way to counter it, and there's no way to prove her wrong because it was from so long ago!"
Paige sighed, and Emily could see in her face that this was just as hard on her. Why did she have to drag her into all of this?
"Whatever happens, things can still turn out okay," Paige reassured, tucking a strand of hair behind Emily's ear. "If she is released, I'll make sure she doesn't touch you or the twins."
Emily could feel herself glowing as she grinned from ear to ear. "And I'll make sure it's the same for you."
Paige smiled as she leaned in to kiss Emily, but to her surprise, and to Emily's, their lips didn't connect.
Paige shot her eyes open, hurt clear in them, as Emily gawked up at her, unsure of what to say.
Did she just... pull back from a kiss?
"What was that about?" Paige asked softly, and Emily sighed as she pulled Paige to the side.
"I'm just not sure public displays of affection are appropriate right now," she admitted woefully. "Especially since we're... you know..."
Paige's features hardened. "Are you saying you're afraid to kiss me because of some uber conservative jerks in the jury?"
"... Yes?" Emily answered uneasily, not sure whether this was the right answer or not, but when Paige backed up slowly, still looking at Emily with that same hurt from before, and then turned on her heel with a scoff as she went to sit down, Emily confirmed that this was indeed the wrong answer. But she had to win this case, and if something as small as a peck on the lips made the difference in the final verdict, she would never forgive herself.
She was about to go over and apologize, but before she could, a tiny hand tapped on her shoulder, and when she looked over, Aria was staring up at her.
"It's time to take our seats," she said, ushering Emily over to the front row, and Emily sighed impatiently as she followed Aria over to their seats.
Judge Forton sat down, yawning loudly as his wrinkles across his forehead creased and his brunette mustache twitched. As soon as the jury, was settled, the judge turned to Melissa. "Is the defense ready with its first witness?"
Melissa rapidly nodded her head. "Yes, your honor. I call Jason DiLaurentis to the stand."
Emily felt her breath catch in her throat as she turned to Spencer, who was growing paler by the minute. What was Jason doing defending Mona?
Within the next few seconds, a dirty blonde male with definite stubble and brooding green eyes came up to the stand. He had gotten a new haircut in the last ten years, and when paired with the patches of hair on his face, he looked attractive enough for even Emily to notice.
"Please stand right here," the clerk said to Jason, who obeyed, planting his feet in front of the mousy man. "Raise your right hand. Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case now before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"
"I do," Jason said, and the clerk let him take his seat at the stand. Emily watched him carefully, trying to keep her eyes on him and not get distracted by the reporters hastily scribbling down Jason's information.
Melissa walked forward to the stand, placing her hands delicately at her sides, but Emily knew her well enough to recognize this as her pouncing stance.
"Mr. DiLaurentis," Melissa began, "according to my client, you were a source of guidance for her when she was released from Radley. Is this true?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jason said formally, sitting upright in his chair as he fiddled with his tie. "I could relate to her on a personal level, since the kids at school were giving her a rough time in the same way they used to give her a rough time, so I talked to her."
"How touching," Melissa said curtly, careful not to show emotion. "But you believed her to be innocent, correct?"
"Yes, I did."
"And do you still hold that opinion true today?"
Jason bit his lip apprehensively, and Emily leaned forward, slouching as she placed her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on her hands. Eventually, Jason nodded his head. "Yes, I do."
Emily felt her blood start to boil. She actually thought Jason might have been on their side, after all he had done to help them solve Alison's murder, and now he was defending his sister's killer? Their near killer?
"Labor Day weekend, 2009," Melissa spoke, the date flowing off of her tongue like a song. "What can you tell us about that weekend?"
Jason gulped loudly. "That would be the weekend that my sister was killed."
There was a murmur among the jury, and Emily rubbed her temples, feeling ill all of a sudden. She could still remember the day like it was yesterday.
"I bet you remember that day like it was yesterday, don't you?" Melissa said, voicing Emily's current thoughts as she spoke to Jason.
"It's a little blurry in my mind, but yes," he confirmed.
"And are you aware that my client, Mona Vanderwaal, was charged with the crime of killing Alison DiLaurentis, your sister, in addition to torturing and stalking these four girls?"
"I am aware," Jason said, nodding his head.
"And you are confirming that you believe her to be innocent of the charge against the girls?"
"I don't know what went on between them," Jason went on, "but I do know that Mona had some beef with these girls for the way they treated her, and I know these girls aren't exactly saints, either, for more reasons than one. I'd say that anything Mona did to them would almost be justified, considering she is the one who had to suffer nearly a year in a mental institution, and then ten years in jail."
"But that's not what I'm asking you," Melissa stopped him. "I asked you if you think she was innocent."
"And I told you that I don't know what went on," Jason shot back. "But whatever she did was probably justified."
"What was justified?"
"Her torturing them!" Jason blurted out, and the jury gasped. Emily felt as though a volt of electricity had just been shot up her spine, and she looked to the other girls, who seemed to have reacted the same. So he admitted that he knew about Mona torturing them, yet he thought her actions were justified. Was Jason on their side... or not?
"Let's move on to a different question," Melissa said, growing frustrated as a visible vein in her neck started popping out. It looked like even she didn't know whose side Jason was on, either. "You admitted that these girls aren't exactly saints. Care to elaborate?"
Emily held her breath. Jason was a member of the NAT club, so he knew about everything they had done. He knew about Aria and Ezra's affair from high school, he knew about how the girls had blinded Jenna, he knew everything.
But to Emily's surprise, Jason's features hardened as he narrowed his green eyes at Melissa. "I'd rather not," he answered slowly, and Emily let out a sigh of relief that she hoped wasn't noticeable. But she could feel her skin tighten once again when she realized this didn't mean Jason was on their side... it merely meant that if he admitted to what the girls had done, he'd have to admit to how he knew all of this, which would mean giving up his secrets about the NAT Club and all of their surveillance used. Illegal surveillance.
Melissa must've figured this out, too, and considering she was a member of the club as well, she let it slide and moved on. "Alright," she said casually. "Then let's talk about night your sister died. Do you recall seeing Mona Vanderwaal the night of Alison DiLaurentis's death?"
Jason paused, before running a hand through his hair, taking a moment to think about this, until he finally spoke up. "No, I do not."
More whispers from the jury, and Emily could feel beads of sweat forming on parts of her body that sweat should not be forming on.
"Who do you recall seeing that night?" Melissa prodded. "Everyone knows the story. Five girls having a sleepover the weekend before school started, eating popcorn, listening to music, reading magazines, having a grand old time. But when they woke up the next morning, five girls had turned into four."
Jason gripped the arms of his chair and hung his head, clearly not comfortable, but Melissa was relentless. "There were a lot of people that you saw that night, hanging around your house, but one sticks out to mind, doesn't it? Doesn't it?"
Jason kept hanging his head, but eventually he subtly nodded, confirming this. Emily watched him, unsure of where this was going. What did Jason know? Who did he see? Who could have killed Alison besides Mona? And why would it be such a gripping revelation? The only thing that could possibly be more shocking enough to be true would be if...
No.
"Tell them what you told me, Jason," Melissa said, almost menacingly. "Tell them who you saw that night. Armed with a shovel and everything. Tell them who really killed your sister."
Emily suddenly felt like she could no longer be in the room. She wanted to get up, but for whatever reason she was glued to her seat. Her limbs were shaking, her head was pulsing, her heart was racing, because if Jason said what she thought he was about to say...
"Emily Fields. I saw Emily Fields that night."
Suddenly, every single eye was on Emily, and she couldn't take it. No. It wasn't her. She couldn't have done that to Alison. So why was Jason saying she was?
The room was soon spinning, and she could hardly see. Her vision was blurring, and she felt as though her heart would give out.
"Em," she heard Spencer whisper nervously, but she didn't respond. She couldn't respond. Her tongue felt like jello.
"Your Honor," she distantly heard Melissa saying up front, "multiple sources will clarify that Emily Fields was in love with Alison DiLaurentis, and got angry when those feelings weren't reciprocated. You'll also note that Exhibit D, as presented by the prosecution, was the shovel that killed Alison DiLaurentis. If you were to examine it again, I'm sure you'd find fingerprints belonging to Miss Fields on there."
"Are you suggesting that a member of the prosecution is guilty without any legitimate proof?" Mrs. Hastings shouted. "I object, your Honor, she cannot do that!"
But Emily didn't stay to listen in on the rest of the argument. She felt like she was going to be sick. Without any further thought, she rose from her seat and walked toward the doors in the back. When she heard several footsteps behind her, she walked even faster. She didn't want anyone following her. Not after what they thought she had done.
She pushed through the double doors with a vast amount of strength, charging through them at the speed of a race horse. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, in her throat, begging to be set free, but she couldn't let them free. Not here, not now, not...
"Emily!"
She felt someone grab her arm, and she yelped as they spun her around. When she saw Paige, she tried to release her grip, as she did not want the comfort of her wife right now. Paige was putting up a fight, but so was Emily. There wasn't a determined winner until three other figures came into view, and helped Paige pull Emily forward.
When she looked around her, gazing into the eyes of Hanna, Spencer, and Aria, Emily lost it. She broke down into tears as Paige caught her, rubbing circles along her back as she tried to calm her down. "It's okay, Em."
"No it's not," she sobbed. "They... they think I'm a murderer!"
"No they don't," Aria reassured, rubbing her arms soothingly. "They couldn't! It was just an accusation, they don't have any proof yet."
"But they're probably going to get some," Emily said morbidly as she sniffled into Paige's shoulder. "So this is how it ends? Mona gets to go off scott free while I take her place in the slammer?"
"No one said any of that was happening," Spencer said tenderly as she wiped a tear off of Emily's cheek. "Relax, okay?"
"It's going to be okay, Em," Hanna said gently as she squeezed Emily's hand, and Emily was shocked. Just yesterday, Hanna barely wanted to acknowledge her presence, and now she was at her side in an instant? In fact, all of the girls had come together to be here for her, something that hadn't happened for much too long.
But Emily couldn't even properly enjoy their reunion because she was too busy crying, nearly soaking Paige's cardigan in the process. She immediately felt several pairs of arms on top of her as they embraced her in a group hug, and she felt the muffled whispers of soothing words reach her ear drums.
She was happy to have the comfort of her friends back, but would it be enough?
Moments later, the doors opened, and a crowd of people came through. Emily separated herself from Paige to get a better look, and among the crowd she spotted Ezra with his suit jacket swung over his shoulder, revealing a pale green button down.
"Well, looks like it's time to go home," he said forlornly, and Emily and the other girls straightened into attention.
"What do you mean?" Aria asked, coming forward. "The trial can't possibly be over!"
"It's not," Ezra said with a sigh. "But the first day is over. We'll be back tomorrow."
"What?" each of the girls exclaimed, and Emily felt Paige's arm protectively wrap around her shoulder in an instant.
Ezra let his shoulders slump as he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his car keys. "It looks like this is going to last longer than we had hoped," he said tiredly, before looking to Aria. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, sure," Aria said quietly, and Emily watched as Aria sorted through her thoughts. Emily was having some trouble sorting through her own as well. Was it because of her accusation that they'd be back tomorrow? Was that what was prolonging the trial?
"Emily, this isn't your fault," Spencer said, as though she could read Emily's mind. "It's Mona's. This is just going to be a bit trickier than we originally thought."
"Yeah, you're telling me," Emily said bitterly as she dried her eyes with the back of her hand.
Spencer smiled sadly as she squeezed Emily's shoulder with her elongated fingers. "I'll talk to my mom tonight, and she'll figure something out, okay?"
"Okay," Emily said with a shaky head nod, but before the conversation could go any further, Toby walked up.
"We need to pick up Elijah and Aiden from Mrs. Montgomery's house," he said. "You ready to go?"
"Oh, that's right," Spencer said spacily. "Is that okay, Aria?"
"Yeah, of course," Aria said breezily - or what was an attempt at being breezy, given none of them could carry on a normal conversation given everything that was going on. Aria then reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. "I'll give my mom a call and tell her we're on our way."
"Sounds perfect," Toby said as he whisked Spencer away. Before Ezra could do the same, Aria walked up to Emily, stood on her toes, and wrapped her little arms around Emily's neck, embracing her warmly. Emily hugged back, appreciating the company.
Aria then pulled back and smiled up at Emily, giving her arms a reassuring squeeze. "Feel better, okay?" she said. "And don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."
"Thanks, Aria," Emily said gratefully, amazed that someone so small could be so nurturing. Come to think of it, that was one of Emily's favorite things about Aria, but she had forgotten all about it over the years.
It wasn't even that she'd forgotten it, though. She'd put it in the back of her mind, just like she had for all of the girls and all of her favorite traits about them. She had neglected to recognize Spencer's protective instincts, or Hanna's compassion, and she wished she'd told them how much she appreciated it when she'd had the chance.
When Aria walked away, all that was left was Hanna, Paige, and Emily. But Caleb was waiting over by the door, so once Hanna gave him the signal that she was coming, she turned back around to Emily.
"I should get going, too," she said, albeit shyly. "But... you know... what they said."
Emily nodded her head in thanks, and Hanna gave her a quick hug before she went over to Caleb. Emily sighed. No matter which parts of the girls were resurfacing, negative or positive, she supposed that they wanted to take this in baby steps, and she'd have to respect that decision ultimately.
"I guess we should get going, too," Paige said defeatedly. "Do you want me to drive?"
"I can manage," Emily said tightly as she walked over to the door, remembering how not too long ago, Paige was glaring at her for suggesting they tone down the PDA. The fact that Paige was by her side, no matter what happened, reminded Emily of how truly blessed she was to have someone so amazing to spend the rest of her life with.
That was, whom she would be spending the rest of her life with her if she didn't have to spend it behind bars.
That's right. Emily Fields, biggest Huffledor (Hufflepuff/Gryffindor) of them all, is accused of murder. Of course, it sounds ridiculous to US, but not to the jury. Team Mona has somehow managed to take evidence presented by the prosecution, and use it to completely FLIP the trial around in their favor. Mona is filled with tricks to keep the focus off of herself, but will it be enough to get her out of prison? Sound off in the reviews! And after you leave me a (hopefully) lovely review, be sure to check out my Sparia one-shot Sound of Silence. And with that, I'll see you all next time!
