Magic Before Dusk
Epilogue





The judge eyed each person as he awaited the jury. Dead silence was his court room. It'd only been a week since the original conviction and now he was back retrying the same fellow. This time new jurors and new evidence. It was now more of an open shut case since this time the defendant was no longer in shock. A more pained truth echoed on his jail house clothes and chains. From afar he seemed to have a simple yet anxious gleam in his eye. Awaiting the verdict but to a man who'd known the pain of a lost child he'd now owned the wanting of death. Because of the bad investigating and being wrongfully accused he's truly lost everything. Shaking his head he turned to the left where the jury was coming back from debate after only a 5 minute lapse of time and all stood.

The noise level in the court arose but only for a brief second before surrendering to quiet to hear…

"We the jury find the defendant Brady Victor Black acquitted of all charges and …"

Everything else was drowned out by the cheering in the court room. Except Brady, he couldn't share in the excitement as much as Belle, Shawn, Jason, Phillip, John, Marlena, Abe, Bo, and all who came in support of him.

"Order, order" the judge said. "For immediate release, the court owes you Brady Victor Black a formal apology although we can't back the time or absence you have we can only say sorry and offer a small amount considering the priceless amount you've lost. I hope that in time you can forgive, having not forget but to move on and know that not all is over. There is a circle as your mind might be in it's own turmoil you can always start anew with an endless circle always spurring away. And with that court dismissed."

John was the first to greet his son. Stepping over he hugged him with all his strength as tears shed, "It's finally over son, its finally over."

"It'll never be over, Dad… They never found her body and Kevin is still loose somewhere, Mimi being sentenced to death doesn't make up for the loss I've known. It never will…" saddened Brady admitted to himself as well as his father who knew what his son was saying.

Phillip walked up to Brady, looked him in eye and knew of each other's silent thank you, forgiveness, and loss.

"Justice knows no other besides herself," John told his son. "She can not see the victim as clearly as you and I. Nor can she see the innocence. Or how sometimes she causes more wrong than good. For that she can't see since so much power is placed in her hands."

Nodding he accepted and wiped tears from his weary eyes. Placing a false smile on his face, "I just want to go home now. But not back to the penthouse, I'm not ready…"
***********

Brady Pub



Family and friends gathered to take part in the surprise celebration for the recently released Brady. To lift up his spirits since it was quite evident he could care less about being free now. Maybe at the original setting it might have helped but now it was a lost cause now that any hopes of Chloe still being alive had been diminished by Mimi's testimony. In which she came forth with some truth. And backward answers, caught up in lies gave more way to his innocence.

When Brady arrived to the Pub he immediately went in with his smile he'd become to master. Greeted, hugged, and shook hands with people excited about 'justice being served.'

Looking around to the familiar faces Brady soon realized one was missing, "Where is Phillip?" he questioned to Belle who had been seated by him, along with Jason and Shawn.

Noticing herself she answered with her shoulders. Staring towards Jason and Shawn for some type of confirmation.

"I think," Shawn began as he took a sip from his Pepsi, "he left town for awhile. You know to clear his mind and relax with everything that has happened. I guess he waited around to make sure Brady got set free then left."

"You know it's interesting when you think about it. But eh, it doesn't matter now…"

"What's that Jason?" Belle asked.

"Well you know how we figured out that the prints on the gun did indeed belong to the victim, Chloe's sister Veronica. But Phillip said someone helped him escape his death somehow. When I first heard that I suspected Veronica but she was too busy illumining Brady with the fact she was Chloe. Then there's the unknown fact of where Kevin went. Mimi's too hush hush about the whereabouts of anything but something is telling me she was screwed over."

Brady ears perked up, "So where are you going with this?"

"Nowhere since it's just all a theory and nothing can be proven. I mean you remembered struggling with the gun with her and her coming forth with all the accusations plus the ultimate truth you'd basically been cheating on Chloe and…" Jason soon realized he was retelling Brady of what he wanted to forget so he grew silent and hung his head low for in shame of what he'd done.

"Where's Brady!" Came someone entering the Pub.

Jason soon recognized the voice as did the others and turned to the commotion, "jan…" he whispered confused.

Jan spotted Brady past the wavering hands blocking her further entry. She needed to get by and say something, needed to move past. "Brady! Brady! I need to talk to you," she yelled from the door. "Let go of me, it's important!"

Brady shook his head and couldn't even deal with it until he heard what he could only hope was a dream.

"Phillip has Chloe!"
********

Phillip sat aboard the company jet and smiled at his achievement. After paid off Kevin he immediately went to his victory. His Chloe. She was always the one. Veronica nor Mimi could ever replace her and now he had her. No one had suspected a thing, and it had been so simple. So easy. Mimi wouldn't say anything since she didn't know of anything more than what she and Veronica had done. All had played into his hands and never knew they were being toyed with the whole time.
Holding an unconscious Chloe in his arm he placed a hand on her swollen stomach. Despite Mimi's attempt the baby had survived due to the helpful thinking of Kevin. It was his luck that Kevin was skilled and heavily knowledge. Even though Chloe didn't help with not eating. All was well now, no more living in the past as he'd have his trophy and Brady never know. Just his own suffering.

Rubbing her stomach once more, "I'll raise you as if you were mine", he declared and fell into a peaceful sound sleep as his own nightmare had come to an end. Chloe was once his again…

******

Maggie and Hope allowed Jan's barging in once the words fell from their mouth. Victor turned to the commotion as well when he heard his son's name being spoken. Brady stood and walked over to Jan. Each step pieced together leading to the ultimate truth. Not following his own words, having trusted when he shouldn't have trusted.

"It was a set up from the beginning, it all happened when Phillip did some digging into Nancy's past and he schemed this up himself. I know because Kevin was secretly seeing me. And now I don't know where Kevin is but I know he's well of wherever he went and Phillip is gone with Chloe…."

Eyes watering, hope rising, pained face etched into a child sparked gleam.

"Where did he go?" Brady asked. Jan shook her head and Bo spoke to her in the corner once Brady rushed to his grandfather.

"You're a** is mine, uncle,' Brady thought wickedly.

*********

6 months later

Chloe lay side by side from her hospital bed with Brady. The two lay snuggly together as he cupped their daughter in his arms. Delivering Chloe with a fevered kiss he urged her on to do more. Knowing the doctors wouldn't allow it he stopped as he stared down to his daughter.

"Jasmine Isabella Black," Chloe pronounced. Having extracted a part of Jason's name and taking Belle's name for the middle.

"Jasmine," breathlessly Brady gushed. Who'd think he'd be here. So much had happened that night but in one night magic occurred. And it had been like magic when Chloe stood before him in the dusk of a dream he'd never forget. And to his uncle he'd never forgive.

His heart was like Chloe. Strong, beautiful, loving, and most importantly all hers.

"I love you, Ms. Black" he smiled to her.

"I love you too, Mr. Black" she whispered tiredly.

"I was talking to our baby, MRS. Black, but I love you all the same as well."

Smiling, Chloe fell into a sleep only a love so worthy, so pure could only know.



The End.