CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It was too much of a sunny day to be stuck inside for a murder trial, at least in Lance Sweets' opinion. He had somehow managed to sit on the opposite side as Agent Booth. Since their little altercation at his apartment the day before he had avoided the man at all costs, and vice versa. It was just easier that way. In fact it seemed every employee of the Jeffersonian and FBI were avoiding one another for their own separate reasons. Once again, for now with the tension that was involved with the trial, it was probably for the best.
He hadn't spoken to Krys since the awkward morning in his apartment, which had been completely innocent, so when she arrived just in time for the trial and sat beside him, he had been a bit surprised. Then Vincent sat on her other side and it made a bit more sense. Then again, she had said she wasn't going to show up until she had to testify so why was she there now? Lance felt like it'd be inappropriate to ask, it wasn't like he was Doctor Brennan and could get away with such things, so instead he settled for sitting in silence beside her as the trial began with the occasional sideways glance in her direction.
She hadn't looked toward the defense table once, where Harold was seated (though she'd only be able to see the back of his head if she even dared to look up) and Lance could only guess why that was. She had been held hostage by the man after all. But if she couldn't even bare to look up why was she here? Lance looked away from Caroline interviewing someone on the stand and saw a familiar figure toward the back of the room.
There was William Barrett, the infamous reporter himself, arms crossed over his chest where there was standing room only, like it was a show. He remained stoic, quiet, and Lance couldn't help but wonder if there was a line this man wouldn't cross just to get a good story. He doubted it. William always had to be the best at everything, no matter the cost.
Turning his gaze back forward the reason behind Krys' appearance became clear as Caroline's voice filled the room with a bellow.
"The prosecution would like to call Parker Booth to the stand." The announcement was followed by murmurs in the courtroom and Lance noticed Krys look up hesitantly.
The doors in the back of the courtroom entered and in walked Parker, looking quite small in his little suit that was better suited for being in a wedding than at something so serious and terrible. The mop-topped boy was guided right into the witness stand where he sat and was dwarfed behind the wood of the stand noticably not looking at the defense stand much like Krys refused to. After being sworn in the boy was completely on his own. Lance couldn't help it, he looked to Agent Booth who had gone rigid in his seat, and if it wasn't for Doctor Brennan's hand on his arm he would have sprung up to his child's defense.
"State your name for the court please." Caroline began, though she was questioning a child her voice wasn't exactly gentle.
"Parker." The dirty blonde haired boy stated before uncomfortably shifting in his seat. "But you told them that already." He pointed out causing a few to chuckle and Agent Booth to smile ever so slightly.
"You're right I did." Caroline responded with hr own brand of a smile before changing some of her questions around. "You're here because you were taken against your will and held hostage, am I correct?"
"Yes Miss Julian." Parker blinked. "I mean yes ma'am." He had went over court room manners with his father and he didn't want to mess up especially with a bunch of people he knew watching, and then another ton who he had never seen before.
"From where were you taken?" Caroline stepped aside so the jury could see his face.
"From my house." Parker looked to the jury, purposely avoiding Harold now who was drumming on the tabletop trying to distract him. "My babysitter got hit on the head and tied up. I got pushed in a trunk. It was dark. I couldn't see." Parker cringed as Harold coughed loudly, obviously trying to get attention and spook the boy but Parker did his best to look to the jury. Their faces weren't nearly as frightening. "Then he got Krys."
"That's good Parker." Caroline interupted him. That was a problem and topic for another day, she calmly strode to the opposite end of the stand. "Where were you taken?"
"To a small wooden shack in the woods." Parker wanted to shiver at the thought but he toughed it out, all so he could be like his father. "It was dark. He tied us up. He tried to make me drink burning stuff-"A slam on the table caused Parker to jerk his face around just in time to see Harold smirking and then the boy couldn't find his voice.
"Objection your honor." Caroline roared and it was easy to see how even the scariest of criminals could be intimidated. "He's badgering my witness!"
"Sustained." The judge responded before pointing his gavel toward the defense table. "Control your client or he'll be removed." Another murmur and Caroline looked back to Parker to continued.
"A burning liquid?" She phrased with a tilt of her short bobbed red head. "Like acid. Am I correct?"
Parker slowly and painfully tore his gaze away from his past captor and back to Caroline. Blinking he finally found a response. "Yes." Parker lifted his hand to point at a small red dot on his cheek. "A little got on here. See?" The crowd murmured again.
In the bustle and commotion of things Lance looked to his side and that's when he saw Krys' hand. Though it was on her right leg it was clear that her hand was trembling. No, it was absolutely shaking with fear. Lance frowned as his head tilted downward watching this and he felt an immediate twinge of pain in his heart. Pain in seeing her hurting. Pain in seeing the bold young woman so afraid that she was shaking in fear even though she could only see the back of the man's head. He wanted to help her. He needed to and without thinking he found his pale hand moving to gently rest on top of hers, giving it a firm squeeze and thus steadying her. This seemed to be enough, with the slight bit of encouragement she stopped trembling and her hand squeezed back.
"And how long were you held in this makeshift prison?" Caroline continued, her voice calm and collected as always no matter who was on the stand or who was right behind her.
"A long, long time." The boy responded. He had no concept of time. There had been no calendars, no clocks. All he knew was that it felt like forever, and it was the scariest forever that he had ever experienced.
"I ran away. I got out through the window." Parker went on in the midst of questioning, now that his eyes were focused on Caroline he seemed more sure of himself. "A man stopped in the road and brought me to my dad.... We had to go back for Krys." Even then when Caroline had given him a previous warning he couldn't drop it. He had to mention that. And Lance felt Krys lower her gaze defeated.
"If you hadn't escaped... What do you think would have happened?" Caroline phrased carefully, awaiting the boy's answer.
"I think he would have hurt me." The young boy spoke up rather quietly, everyone could hear the strain behind his voice and see it behind his eyes. "He wanted to kill me."
All of a sudden there was a crazy howl from the defense table and Harold had hopped up onto it, crouching like some sort of primal animal. Several people gasped, others shouted, some were too stunned to speak. Agent Booth meanwhile stood right up and hurried past the buzzing crowd to his son, practically throwing the small wooden door open as he scooped him right up protectively. He was his first and only priority.
Lance meanwhile felt Krys tense up and felt her hand squeeze his own very tightly. Blinking he looked with panicked eyes back to the front of the courtroom just in time to see the judge rise to his feet.
"Remove the defendant! This instant! Remove him! Brief recess!" He shouted loudly in a rushed manner but could barely be heard over all of the chaos as Harold was yanked down from the table by two large officers.
"I can't do this." Said a feminine voice from right beside him that he would have been able to identify if it hadn't been for the scene that was unfolding right in front of him.
Lance could only watch wide eyed as everything around him blurred and he somehow found his way to his feet, standing his hands braced the wooden backrest in front of him. Somehow he was able to tear his eyes away from the scene which was now being hoisted out of the room and saw the empty space beside him.
"Krys?" Lance glanced around filled with confusion. Vincent was now beside him but no Krys. Lifting his head he saw her blur rushing toward the back of the courtroom and out the door. Not wanting to give up, that wasn't even a possibility, he pushed past everyone he possibly could, softly uttering quick 'excuse me's' as he raced to the back of the room and out the door.