(Jace Beleren)

I honestly didn't know if I was ready for this. While I had dreamt of the day that they would find out who had done this to Kallist, I never thought that they investigation would come to fruition. I never thought that I would be sitting in a courtroom, getting ready to watch my uncle be indicted for the murder of my brother. Liliana grasped my hand, and I felt that she was the only thing tethering me to this life.

That wasn't new , though. I remembered that first day at the diner and then the day in the office. Her smile had been the most beautiful thing I'd seen in weeks. Now, when I looked at her, and felt her ring on her hand, I knew that no matter what happened with this trial, that everything was going to be okay.

I was free, after all. And the first thing that I was after was the old ball and chain. I wanted Lili. Yesterday, however, had been one the hardest days of my life. I thought back and fought off a shake.

"Jace, you don't have to do this, you don't. A donor will come along. This hurts, and it hurts a lot. You have to be in court tomorow," Liliana had told me.

I didn't care. I knew that I was going to be a match, I could just feel it. I had never connected with someone like Liliana, and we had to be connected on a physical level, too. It just made sense.

Josu told me while Lili slept the night before the test that love isn't enough to make you a match. I knew that, and he had tried to drill it into my head for weeks. Since I told him that I planned on doing it. Josu and Kaalia both begged me not to get my hopes up. They had said that it was dangerous to both of us. It was going to crush me if I wasn't a match. I felt like this was the only thing that I could do to help her, and if I couldn't do this , then how was I supposed to take care of her?

I looked at both Su and Kaalia and told them that since Kallist, hope was the only thing that I had. Just like I had told Liliana that day, it was the only thing keeping me alive. It was stronger than my fear. And my love for her was stronger than anything. She was going to make it, and this was the way. I could just feel it.

"We just don't want her or you devastated if this doesn't happen. You've given her a chance, more than enough reasons to hang on. We're just worried about you. Both of you, you're both sticking your neck out."

"I'm not not trying, Josu. I'm just not. I know you both have to understand that. I don't want to see her sick anymore. It's not fair and I'm going to do everything that I can to get her out of this. This included," I said, a sort of finality in my voice.

Liliana held my hand as we walked up the front steps of Johns Hopkins . She was scared and I could tell.

"I don't know if I can take any more disappointment, Jace…" Liliana said, putting her head to my shoulder.

"You're not going to have to. All we have to do is get this done and you'll be on your way to getting better." I squeezed her hand.

"But you're going to be hurting because of me," she said, genuinely concerned for my well-being.

"I've had worse, Lili. One time Kal pushed me off a horse and broke my leg, so I'm sure the lumbar puncture will be just fine. I won't be mad at ya," I joked, more for her reassurance than my own. I didn't care how much this hurt. She was fighting for us, and I wouldn't let her do it alone.

The worst part of all of this was the fact that I was starving, they had cut my food and drink off at midnight. Jolene saw us walking in and gave us a smile, handing me a hospital gown. My nerves were starting to get real at that point. I wasn't scared of the pain, I was scared of what Josu had warned me about: a negative result. They had stopped for breakfast and Liliana and I had went to the hospital on our own. Kaalia was getting big and Luka could be here soon, or he could just be fat. I wasn't exactly sure. I tied the gown in the back and walked back out to my princess. I struck a pose and smiled at her, to which she blushed.

"My fiance, everyone," she sniggered. "Can't wait to marry you," she added.

"What an interesting change of pace," Doctor Trostani said as she walked into the hospital room. I hadn't known that she would be the one doing the test.

"Jace, this is going to hurt, but I'm going to give you an anesthetic and some pain medicine, okay?" Doctor Trostani said.

"Not really necessary," I said. But Liliana cut me off with an angry look and told me that I was going to take them both. I just snorted and told Doctor T that she had heard the boss lady.

"Liliana, you can be in here as long as he says it's okay," Doctor Trostani said. " It's not a sterile procedure."

"You really don't need to get worked up, Princess, and.." But Lili gave me this look of deep betrayal.

"If you're doing this for me, then I'm going to be here with you. So hold my hand."

I felt the prick of the anesthetic go into my back , the pain medicine already coursing through the IV they had put in this morning. I didn't want to watch. I knew the needle was huge, I've seen these done on TV, and that was enough for me. The anesthetic didn't do much and I shut my eyes and grimaced. I squeezed Liliana's hand without meaning to and put my forehead to hers.

"My superhero, mon couer, Je t'aime," She whispered to me. "I can be strong for you, too." She pecked a kiss on my lips and I tried to focus on that pressure instead of the pain radiating in my lower back.

"You never had to do any of this for me. You are so good, and so brave, and you're going to be an amazing father someday. You chose the girl with cancer when girls were throwing themselves at you. You'll never know how much you mean to me , Jace Beleren. You choose me every single day for my heart and you love me so purely. You've shown me what a real man does for his love, you made me believe in something I never knew was possible. So I believe in this, and I believe in us. You'll always be my hardest goodnight and my favorite good morning. Thank you for believing in us, too."

I smiled. She was never really talkative, especially about emotion. I put my hand on her cheek.

"My princess," I said, as she peppered kisses to my forehead.

I had never been a fan of self-medicating, but if there ever was a day for it, this was it. Because I wasn't ready to stare down the man that killed my best friend, my brother, and tried to sabotage my life with Liliana after he had already robbed Kallist from me. I didn't know anyone that could be desperate enough to kill his own flesh and blood for a pay out, but Tezzeret was. This wasn't fair. He didn't deserve to draw breath when Kallist was in the ground. Kallist should have been here, enjoying the holidays, and because of this man, his uncle, he wasn't.

I hated him for it. I knew that this trial was going to be a drawn out process, especially if Tezzeret didn't cop a plea deal or something. But this wasn't even part of the trial, this was him being officially charged for what he did.I didn't know what I should do, but for good measure, the Vess family lawyer was there. I didn't like using my own money, much less my fiancee's, but Josu and Kaalia had both insisted, and he didn't fight them too much. It was better to be prepared for a shitstorm, anyways. My back was still sore, but I wasn't going to betray that to Liliana.

She squeezed my hand when Tezzeret walked into the courtroom.I had not seen or contacted him since I moved in with Liliana, and it would have stayed that way if this hadn't happened. I wanted nothing to do with him. Now that my mother and Kallist were gone, I had forged a family unit with Liliana, Josu, and Kaalia. The judge clears her throat.

"Mister Rhoka has waived his right to an attorney and to a trial by a jury of his peers. He has entered a guilty plea in exchange for a deal and will be sentenced today," The judge read from her sheet. "Unless Mister Jace Beleren has taken issue with this," she finished. She looked over to me. I had no idea if I had issue with it or not, honestly. I look to Josu and he stands.

"I'm Jace's legal guardian, and we would like to take a few moments to request legal counsel," Josu said, looking the judge in her eyes.

"Granted," the judge said. "We will readjourn tomorrow at eight AM. This deal was reached late last night. If your attorney or Mister Beleren wish to talk to Mister Rhoka, that can be easily arranged.

"I don't want to talk to him," I say to both Josu and the lawyer. "I don't have anything to say to him"

"Do you want to give him the plea deal, Jace?" Kaalia had given instructions to the lawyer to find out exactly what the deal was, and she was doing so as Josu asked him. Liliana had been silent, just trying to comfort her fiance the best that she could.

"I don't know," I say. "Besides, we have other things to worry about," I said. I was more worried about how a trial would affect Liliana's transplant, because she would likely refuse until she knew that it was over. I look at Josu and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

"It is important that he comes to justice, Jace," Liliana says to me. She wasn't stupid. She knew what I was talking about, even though I was trying to keep that information cloaked.

"You're more important. All of the justice in the world won't bring Kal back, and I won't lose you because of a trial." I say to her.

"But what if he tries to harm you again?! I can't live without you either!"

"My life insurance money would go to Josu for the next month and then it would go to you, so he really doesn't have a reason, unless he's going to try to murder us all, which I doubt he can do if he's sitting in prison," I reason with her. However, as I am doing so, the attorney walks over and clears her throat.

"The plea deal is ten years with no possibility of parole during those years. After those ten years, if good behavior was displayed, he will be eligible for release."

"Ten years? For murder?" Liliana was outraged.

"I can try to speak with the district attorney to see if we can levy a stiffer penalty, but it might end up going to trial," the brown-haired lawyer says.

"I don't want it going to trial. Liliana's health is more important to me. Speak with the DA and see if we can get anything harsher. But if it's going to trial, then just let him take the plea."

"Jace!" She stomps her foot and hisses in anguish. I wasn't budging. Kallist wasn't coming back and I couldn't lose her.

"Princess," I start. I take both of her hands in mine. "Your health is more important to me. Even if we can't get a stiffer penalty, he can no longer stop us from doing what we want. Ten years is plenty of time for us to get married, to move back to Canada, and be out of his reach. As much as I wish I could bring him back, I can't. No amount of putting your health on the back burner is getting me my brother back. And he wouldn't want me to lose you, in fact, he would have called me an idiot if I let you get away. It's not fair, I know, but it's not the end of the world. At least he's serving something for what he did either way. Kallist would have put you first, too. So let me do what I know does his memory justice. And that would be take care of you. Because do you know what Kallist lived his life by? It was only two words. Family first. And that's what I'm doing. I will always put you first. Because that would have made Kallist proud, mom proud. You're my priority and I refuse to let you slip out of my grasp. I love you too much for that, okay? So just let me."

My fiance puts her head onto my shoulder to hide the tears that I knew were there. I knew that Kallist would have been proud of my decision, just as I knew that the three people that were standing with me in this courtroom would be my family for the rest of my life. The attorney simply nodded and told the judge what we had said.

My phone starts to buzz in my back pocket as I kiss Liliana softly on the lips. When I look at it, I knew that it would be the call that would change my life forever. It was Doctor T's office. I pick it up, voice shaking. The next moment was literally do or die.

"Jace?" Her sing-song voice was on the other line.

"Ma'am?"

"You're a match."