A/N: Hey! Thanks for your reviews everyone :) You're the sweetest!

So I have split my focus a little because I created another fanfic account... to write disney... Descendants cuz I love it lol Disney is great, I don't care how old you are hahaha but figured I'm so deep into writing Linstead here I best do it elsewhere lol

Don't worry, as if anyone could let me forget to update these fics!

Reasonable Doubt – Chapter Eleven

Jay POV

"So, she's terrifying." I smirk over at Will as we sit awkwardly on the couch.

"Yeah." My chuckle is a breathless whisper.

"What are you doing here Will?" I ask, no trace of amusement.

"Your lawyer told me in no uncertain terms that she'd make my life a living hell if I didn't. So here I am." I feel elated that Erin would have my back like this, getting my brother in front of me anyway she could.

"You think I did this?" My blue gaze is piercing; Will swallows harshly before averting his eyes.

His shoulders rise in a shrug, his lips remaining closed tight.

"What did you want to talk about?" He asks finally.

"That night. I want you to talk me through what you remember."

"I'm not going to testify for you Jay."

"I'm not asking you to. Besides with the way you can barely look at me, I'm pretty sure Erin would tackle you to keep you away from there." He chuckles softly before nodding slowly.

"Well I mean, I was pretty wasted. We all were." He shrugs, scratching his head.

"I wasn't."

"Your fight with Allie might have sobered you up Jay, but you were wasted." I frown down at my hands briefly, mind falling back to the night that changed my world.

"Allie wasn't though, she didn't touch a drop of alcohol that night. She was upset though." Will remembers wistfully.

"I remember, we'd been fighting a lot."

"Yeah, well I know you guys were arguing and it got heated – she stormed out and you followed."

"I know all of this. You don't remember anything else? Did she talk to you that night? Say something?"

I watch Will roll his neck, running a hand through his hair as he thinks back.

"We did actually, before you turned up."

Will POV – The night Allie died

"Allie!" I call out with a happy buzz, already participating in shots while setting up.

"Hey Will." I note she's more timid than usual.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Is Jay here?" She hugs herself, arms crossed sub consciously over her dress.

"Nah, not yet." I shrug, drowning another shot.

"Oh. We need to talk." She looks around, almost as if she's willing Jay to walk in.

"More Jay and Allie drama then?" I can't help the eye roll as I busy myself with anything but the conversation.

"Huh?"

"What did he do this time? Buy you flowers? Hold the door open for you?" I chuckle to myself; internally rolling my eyes at the relationship mess these two are always in.

"You know he's not always like that." Her tone has bite, her eyes livid.

"I know… he gets into fights at school."

"Yeah. I just want him to grow up." She grumbles petulantly.

"It's like a frickin' merry go round with you lot. Always on and off. Going around and around with the same problems." I watch her roll her eyes annoyed with me.

"Whatever Will. At least he can commit to more than the occasional STD."

"Ouch, you wound." There's silence between us when I offer her a drink, she shakes her head.

"So I hear you're heading to Florida for college?" I finally ask, knowing instantly my loose lips have walked me into another field mine.

"That was the plan."

"Was?"

"Something tells me, it's not going to happen."

"Why?"

"I just won't make it."

Jay POV- Present

"What does that mean?" I frown over at Will, weighing up the importance of the conversation he shared with her.

"I don't know man."

"Was she afraid for her life? Maybe this wasn't random." I mutter to myself, desperate to solve the mystery.

"There's no sexual assault, it was already unlikely it had been random. The way she was murdered tells a story. Of rage. At least that's what the DA will spin." I frown before turning to see Erin in the doorway to the bedroom.

"It's not in my nature to butt out. Besides you'd have to tell me everything anyway." She shrugs excusing her evasion of privacty, as I roll my eyes before nodding.

She walks over and sits in the chair by Will, crosses her legs and looks down at him.

"You and Allie sure had an interesting relationship." I watch her raise an eyebrow, staring Will down with such authority.

"Not really."

"You bickered." She shrugs, looking to be forcibly holding more back.

"You and I have also bickered."

"Cuz you're an asshole." She seethes at him.

"There ya have it. Mystery solved. She also thought that." Will claps his hands loudly once, grasping them between his knees.

"Yeah but I think it cuz you abandoned your brother, why did she?" Will fidgets in his seat before rolling his eyes.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're annoying?" He throws at her.

"All the time. Answer the damn question."

"We just never saw eye to eye. Especially since she was always getting Jay into a mood. I did have to live with him after all." I watch Erin frown at him, eyes narrowed as she thinks about it.

"You didn't think to ask what she meant?" She continues, having resolved to drop the other question for the moment.

"No, it didn't seem important at the time."

"Did you tell the police about your conversation?" I ask, frowning at my hands.

"No."

"Why?" Erin's tone is sharp, her eyes flashing.

"They never asked."

"Huh. Did CPD even do their job? Incompetent idiots." She mutters with an eye roll.

"Look bro, I get it. You want a hail Mary, something to get you out of this mess but…"

"But?" I ask sharply.

"There's a reason people think the worst of you."

"Fights in school doesn't equate to murder." I grind out through my teeth.

"Jay… when you got back to the party that night, you were agitated."

"So? Allie and I had just broken up."

"And bleeding." I turn my palm over in my hand, glancing down at the scar on my wrist.

"Yeah."

"Did the police note your injury down?" I don't move my eyes from my hands to answer Erin.

"Yeah."

"Huh. I haven't seen that in discovery yet." She's pulling her phone out, going to write herself another note. Her phone always attached to her, ready to jot down another idea or thought, her mind never taking a break.

"I wasn't bleeding cuz I hurt Allie." I defend, but unsure why I feel the need with Erin.

"Why were you bleeding?" She asks, not looking up and not showing any unsavory thoughts at the news.

"I was angry and kicking trash cans as I walked along. Some old lady came out with a bat, I didn't hear her and by the time I saw her – I stumbled back in shock. Fell back onto a broken beer bottle, cut my hand and wrist."

"Do you remember where?" She glances up briefly, her thumbs still flying across her iphone screen.

"Yeah, I think so."

"We should try and find that old lady."

"That's great, can I go now?" Will interjects.

"Is there anything else you can think of? New people you saw Allie talking to in the weeks leading up to her death? Or serious conversations she had with anyone?" I ask as a last ditch effort, despite feeling we've got all we could from Will.

"Nope, just you."

"Right. Well you've been a great help." Erin bites out sarcastically.

She purses her lips as Will gets up and I walk him to the door without a word, her disapproving look burning a hole into his back.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"I do. But I like to hear it anyways. Keeps my ego in check."

"I think it does the opposite." I smirk over at her, closing the distance between us, her feet coming up to push me away with a giggle.

"No, it does exactly what it should. I work best when I can barely get my head through the door."

"I'm serious Erin, thank you for getting Will here." She drops her feet and I kneel in front of her, she leans forward to place a kiss on my lips.

"Now we gotta find that old lady, hope she hasn't kicked the bucket."

"I didn't even think about that."

"That's why you have me, so no more kicking me out of the room." I send him a playful wink.

"I just… I don't know how you can sit here in the presence of my brother – who by all accounts has already decided I'm guilty and listen as he accuses me of murdering my ex girlfriend… and still have faith in me." She cups my cheeks, resting her forehead against mine.

"I told you, I believe in the man you are Jay Halstead. I know you." She places her lips on mine again, pulling me closer.

"Alright, thanks for dinner babe, I gotta go." I lean down to place a quick peck on his shocked lips before gathering my bag.

"Where?" He turns in his chair watching me throw my stuff in my oversized handbag.

"I need to go home."

"Why?" He frowns confused, getting up and catching my arm gently.

"Because that's where most of the files are, I can't keep bringing them here. You saw all those boxes." I tilt my head, looking up at him through my lashes.

"Oh. I just like sleeping with you." His hands find my hips and bring me close.

"Oh, I bet." I smirk up at him.

"Not like that… well like that too obviously." He smirks back down at me, his hands moving around to cup my ass.

"I know what you mean babe."

"I just want to spend as much time as we can together in case..." He trails off before opening his mouth to continue.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, we'll have forever together. You'll get sick of me, I promise."

"Erin…" He trails off, doubt shining through in his bright eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes… but I don' trust the justice system."

"That's nice. You should include that in your academy application." He rolls his eyes at me, but cracking a smile.

"I'm serious. I've gotten so use to spending my time with you… when I'm alone I can't stop thinking about the worst. And I can't help it… because I've been to prison and it was hell."

"Oh baby. I won't let you go back there." My hands land on his biceps, squeezing in support.

"I know you're doing everything you can, I'm so grateful." I lean up to press our lips together urgently.

"Well it's a good thing I had this made then, isn't it?" I pull back to smile, digging into my pocket and producing a key.

"What's that?" He stares at the silver dangling from my hand.

"A key." I giggle as he rolls his eyes.

"To where?"

"Where do you think?" I bite my lip, anticipation swirling within me.

"A key to your apartment?" He whispers, almost afraid he'll wake up from a dream.

"Yeah. Move in with me." Anxiousness creeps in every passing second he stares in silences at me.

"Or come and go as you please. Whatever. Just know my home is your home." He blinks at me in shock, opening his mouth before closing it again.

"Gotta go." I lean in for another kiss, his shocked lips moving to kiss me back too late.

"What?" His voice is shocked as he stands there with a key in his hand, a smirk on my face as I close his door and leave him standing there weighing up my words.

A/N: Please leave a review and let me know what you think :)

Thanks for reading!

Lex