This Is Our Year: College I-I
Chapter 8: A Short Trial
Disclaimer: All the Kim Possible Characters belong to Disney. The original characters are of my own creation.
It was 3:40 pm in the living room of the Stoppable townhouse as Kim, Ron, Anna, Hana, Ellie, and Ike were sitting in complete silence. It's been a few minutes since Wade broke the news to them regarding the plea agreements a whole bunch of criminals made and the trials of Jerry Short, the Walkers, and the Arnolds being moved to November with the first one being tonight at seven and against Short.
"I can't believe the trials are happening much sooner than we thought," Ron spoke up in disbelief, breaking the silence.
"And we have yet to hire an attorney," Kim added. "Let alone one who will ensure us victory."
Ellie soon thought of something and looked at Kim, "Say, Kim, may I use your phone?"
Kim turned to Ellie, "Why?"
"I know someone who could help."
Anna pulled out her cellphone from her short's pocket, flipped it open, and held it out to Ellie.
"You may use my cellphone," Anna spoke up.
Ellie turned to Anna.
"Thanks," She said as she took the cellphone into her hands.
Ellie then dialed some numbers and held the phone up to her right ear.
"Hey, Mom. Everything's great. Yes, I've been behaving myself. Say, Mom, I was wondering… Kim and Ron need an attorney for upcoming trials this month. They're gonna be up against the people who've been given them trouble in college. Do you think you could help?" Ellie smiled. "Great. The first trial is tonight at seven. We'll see you soon. I love you too. Bye."
After hanging up, Ellie looked at Kim and Ron.
"You're all set for the trials," She announced.
"Your mother's an attorney?" Kim asked.
Ellie nodded, "Uh huh. She's been rated the best in the state and all criminal cases she took part in were often open-and-shut. She was originally overbooked, but because all those people that were originally going to be on trial this month made plea agreements, she's free to help. She's also on her way here now to help you prepare for the trials ahead."
The Stoppables smiled.
"Ellie, you may have just saved the day," Kim said.
"You are a hero," Ron added.
"Hero!" Hana cheered.
"Thanks, guys," Ellie said, appreciating Kim, Ron, and Hana's comments.
"And you are a great friend too," Anna added.
Ellie turned towards Anna and gave her a hug.
"Thanks, Anna," Ellie said, happily.
"You're welcome," Anna said, happily, as she returned the hug.
Ike barked and waged his tail.
Everyone else looked at Ike.
"Seems Ike is congratulating you too," Anna said to Ellie.
Ike nodded, confirming Anna's speculation.
Later at 6:30 pm, Kim, Ron, Anna, Ellie, and Michelle walked into the Broy Courthouse and sat down on two benches. Kim, Ron, and Anna sat down on one bench across from the other bench Ellie and Michelle sat down on.
Kim began to shiver.
"KP, are you okay?" Ron asked, noticing his wife shivering.
"I wish I was," Kim replied.
"Kim?" Michelle spoke up, getting Kim's attention. "I can assure you that this will be an open-and-shut case. There's enough proof to show that Short committed attempted murder and stalking. Also, I'm a professional in prosecuting the guilty and defending the innocent."
"Well, I know they will play the recording from Short's interrogation mentioning his motivation for his crimes," Kim said, nervously.
"Kim, what is it about Short's motivation for his crimes that you are nervous about other people hearing?" Michelle asked.
Before Kim could answer…
"She ran me and a little-league soccer team into the ground," A young female voice interrupted.
Kim, Ron, Anna, Ellie and Michelle looked to see a little girl with black eyes, tanned skin, and blonde hair in a ponytail.
"Who are you?" Michelle asked.
The girl turned to Michelle, "I'm Kaitlin Short, niece of Jerry Short." She then turned to the Stoppables. "Well, well, if it isn't Coach Possible, her husband, and tap-dancing daughter." She then looked directly at Kim. "I heard about what my uncle tried to do; I blame you for provoking him into becoming a criminal."
"Kaitlin, I didn't provoke anyone into becoming a criminal," Kim pointed out.
"Oh, don't act so innocent," Kaitlin huffed. "When I told Uncle Jerry about your actions while you were coach, it provoked him into getting revenge on you no matter how long it would take and by any means."
"Kaitlin, I inadvertently let my competitiveness get the best of me," Kim explained. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you and the rest of the little-league soccer team."
"Well, look who finally decided to apologize," Kaitlin snorted. "Oh and newsflash, your apology was three years overdue." She then blew a raspberry before she turned around, walked away, and joined up with her parents.
The Stoppables, Michelle, and Ellie soon noticed the father give Kaitlin a pat on the back.
They also heard the mother say to Kaitlin, "You tell her, Kaitlin."
Then, Kaitlin and her parents walked away, but not before Kaitlin looked back at Kim once more and stuck her tongue out at her.
"Well… that was unexpected," Ron commented after Kaitlin and her parents walked away.
"What a little jerk that Kaitlin is," Anna commented with a scowl. "She really needs to take up tap dancing to get rid of that attitude of hers. And I can't believe her parents let her get away with the way she acted."
Michelle looked at Kim and asked, "So, Short has it out for you because you ran his niece and a little-league soccer team into the ground?"
Kim looked at Michelle and sighed, "My Dad, who originally coached the little-league soccer team, got injured and passed the baton on to me, thinking I would be a great coach. But I let my competitiveness get the best of me and ran that team, Kaitlin and my twin brothers among them, into the ground. They and Ron tried to tell me that what I was doing was wrong, but I wouldn't listen. Thanks to my actions, Ron and I were the subject of abuse from Short. I had no idea my competitiveness would come back to haunt me."
She then started tearing up.
"Kaitlin had every right to bash me," Kim continued. "I'll never let my competitiveness get the best of me, again."
"Mom," Anna spoke up, getting Kim's attention. "There was no way you could've known that your competitiveness would have severe consequences. Also, Kaitlin was a complete jerk who, like I said, really needs to take up tap dancing to get rid of that attitude of hers."
Michelle soon remembered something and spoke up, "Kim, it seems like you and me have something in common."
Kim wiped her eyes as she looked up at Michelle, "What do you mean?"
Michelle took a deep breath, "More than five years ago, I was put in charge of a little-league baseball team after my husband, who was the coach, got injured. He passed the baton on to me, thinking I'd make a great coach. But I let my competitiveness get the best of me and I ran those kids into the ground. After recovering from his injuries, my husband, Elliot was his name, soon found out from the kids that I had mistreated them and he left me and moved back in with his parents."
"Your husband left you over your treatment of a little-league baseball team?" Kim asked.
Michelle nodded, "Yes. A few days after he left me, I made plans to go over to his parents' house to talk to him. But those plans were shattered when I heard from a neighbor that Elliot and his parents died in a car accident the night before." She then sniffled. "Sometime after hearing about the accident, I learned that I was pregnant with Ellie. Just after Ellie was born, I named her after her father."
The Stoppables couldn't believe what they heard.
"We're so sorry for what happened," Anna spoke up with sympathy.
The group then shared a long moment of silence.
Later, at 6:50 pm, Anna broke silence, "Hey, Mom?"
Kim turned to Anna, "Yes, Anna?"
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"Me too," Ellie added.
"We'll meet you guys in the courtroom," Kim said.
Anna and Ellie soon got up from the benches they were sitting on before they walked off to the bathroom.
It was 6:59 pm as Kim, Ron, and Michelle were in the courtroom. Michelle sat at the prosecution table with Kim and Ron at her side. Over at the defense table, Jerry Short was sitting there in handcuffs and with his attorney at his side.
There was also a bailiff, a jury, and a couple of news crews and members of Doctor Short's family, including his niece Kaitlin and her parents.
Soon, the judge walked in.
"All rise!" The bailiff announced.
Everyone stood up.
The judge then sat down at the front, rapped his gavel, and said, "You may sit. This court is now in session."
Everyone sat down.
The judge soon noticed someone missing and asked Kim, "Mrs. Stoppable?"
"Yes, your honor?" Kim answered, nervously, knowing the judge wasn't a big fan of hers.
"Where is your daughter?" The judge asked.
"She's still in the bathroom with Ellie," Kim replied. "I wonder what's taking them so long."
"Well, I suggest you go find them at once," The judge suggested.
Kim nodded, "Yes, your honor."
She then got up and walked out of the courtroom.
After walking out of the courtroom, Kim noticed a crowd of people gathered in a circle. But what really caught Kim's ears was the sound of tap dancing.
Kim shook her head as she walked up to the crowd and looked through it to see Anna and Ellie tap dancing!
Soon, Anna and Ellie finished their tap dance.
The crowd, minus Kim, gave a round of applause.
"Thank you," Anna said as she bowed.
"Thank you," Ellie added as she bowed.
"Ahem!" Kim said as she crossed her arms.
Anna and Ellie developed pale looks on their faces and noticed Kim.
"Mom!" Anna gasped.
"Kim!" Ellie gasped.
"Anna, I thought you and Ellie were going to the bathroom," Kim said in a stern tone.
"We did go to the bathroom," Anna said.
"And then what happened?" Kim asked.
"These people saw me and Ellie and wanted us to tap dance for them," Anna replied.
Kim sighed heavily, "Anna. Ellie. Short's trial has started. Now take off your tap shoes and follow me, please and thank you very much."
Anna and Ellie nodded before they turned to the crowd.
"Sorry, guys, but we have a trial to attend," Anna said in an apologetic tone.
Just as the crowd began to disperse, Anna and Ellie changed out of their tap shoes and into their regular shoes before they followed Kim back to the court room.
It's been an couple hours since the trial started and even though enough proof was shown that Short committed crimes, Kim received nasty looks from everyone but her family, Michelle, and Ellie when they heard the part of the recording of Short's interrogation regarding why Short became a criminal.
Kim, so far, has considered the trial the most humiliating moment in her life since when her parents chaperoned that ski trip she went on years ago.
Ron and Anna had anger inside of them over the way Kim was treated. Especially, Short's attorney saying cruel things about her. Ron and Anna wanted to lash out at those people, but Kim reluctantly kept them from doing so, knowing that lashing out would make things worse.
Soon, the time has come for the verdict.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asked.
The jury foreman stood up and answered, "We have your honor. We find the defendant, Jerry Short, guilty of charges for attempted murder and stalking. We also find the prosecutor, Kim Stoppable, guilty of letting her competitiveness get the best of her."
Kim blushed to the roots of her hair over the mention of the last part.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I thank you for your work," The judge announced. "Mr. Foreman, you may have a seat."
After the foreman took his seat, the judge turned to Short and asked, "Will the defendant please rise?"
Short and his attorney stood up.
Mr. Jerry Short?" The judge looked at Short.
"Your honor?" Short answered.
"You have been found guilty of all charges to attempted murder and stalking," The judge announced.
"I thought you weren't a fan of Miss Possible," Short spoke.
The judge shook his head, "I'm not, but you committed crimes so therefore you must pay the consequences. You are hereby sentenced to life in prison. Bailiff, please remove the prisoner, this court is adjourned."
Before the judge could hit his gavel, Short spoke, "What about, Miss Possible? She's guilty too and deserves jail time too."
"There's nothing illegal about competitiveness getting the best of people," The judge groaned. "Therefore, she gets no jail time."
The judge then hit is gavel before Short was led away.
Later, Kim, Ron, Anna, Ellie, and Michelle walked out of the courthouse.
Kim turned to Michelle, "Thanks for your help."
"Anytime, Kim," Michelle said. "I'll be here for you guys when the trials of the Arnolds and the Walkers happen. Speaking of which, when are they?"
"The trial of the Walkers will be tomorrow at three and the trial of the Arnolds is, depending on how long the Walkers' trial lasts, is not known," Kim answered. "But if the Walkers' trial tomorrow is open-and-shut, the Arnolds' trial will happen the next day."
Michelle nodded, "Gotcha."
Just then, Michelle's cellphone rang.
She then answered it, "Michelle Kelly here. Okay. I understand. Bye."
Michelle then hung up the phone.
"Who was that?" Kim asked.
Michelle looked at Kim, "That was my secretary. She told me that after the trials you, Ron, and Anna must attend, I have to attend other trials, hearings, etcetera. I also have to travel to different parts of the state as well and I won't be back until Christmas." Michelle looked down at Ellie. "I'm so sorry, Ellie."
Ellie raised her hand, "Mom, it's okay. I understand that you have a lot going on. Also, I'm sure Anna and her parents will let me stay with them and they can get someone to drive me and Anna to and from school."
Michelle looked up at Kim, "You won't mind if Ellie stayed with you guys, will you?"
Kim shook her head, "We won't mind at all."
"Ellie can stay with us," Ron added.
"And I will be more than happy to babysit her too," Anna added.
Michelle smiled, "Thanks, guys."
Ellie turned to Anna, "Say, Anna, can I give you a hug?"
Anna smiled, "Of course, Ellie."
The two kids embraced in a hug.
After breaking the hug, Ellie spoke, "I love you like a sister, Anna."
She then covered her mouth.
Anna put her right hand on Ellie's left shoulder, "Ellie it's okay. I love you like a sister too."
Ellie removed her hand from her mouth, "Really?"
Anna nodded, happily, "Of course, Ellie."
"Will you be my honorary sister?" Ellie asked.
"Will you be my honorary sister?" Anna asked.
"Yes," They both replied in unison.
Tears of joy streamed down both Anna's and Ellie's faces as they embraced in another hug.
Michelle walked up to Kim and Ron and joined them in smiling and watching Anna and Ellie as they continued their hug.
"They seem really happy," Ron speculated.
"It's so heart-warming to see Ellie happy and with a friend she considers an honorary sister," Michelle added.
"This touching moment has made me overcome the pain I felt from the ill words I received tonight in the courthouse," Kim added.
Kim and Ron embraced each other as they and Michelle continued watching Anna and Ellie still embracing each other.
To Be Continued…
A/N: That's one trial down and two more to go. How the other two trials will go?
You'll find out.
Seems Ellie is going to be living with the Stoppables for a while after the trials. And I bet she'll be looking forward to it.