Chapter IX- If We're Parted By A Shot…

"Sit down and shut up, all of you." The Judge said, banging on the gavel. Meg jumped at the sound, and even the baby objected with a rather painful kick. "I'm too old for this stuff…" the Judge murmured, and motioned for a little boy to come forward.

The boy held up a mirror as the Judge fixed his wig. Once satisfied, the judge waved him away with one hand and started the trial.

The defense attorney- du Claw, Meg remembered, she had met him yesterday- stood up and started to lecture the jury about Erik's side of the story.

The judge banged the gavel again, and du Claw looked like he would love nothing more than to wallop him with that exact gavel. "Enough with that- cross examine the witnesses already!"

Meg looked at her mother, nervously. The judge cut off the introductory statement! He cut it off!

"The defense calls Mrs. Marguerite Giry to the stand!"

Damn it! She didn't want to be called… Meg got up and walked as elegantly as possible (or waddled, as the baby was greatly inflicting her walking ability) to the stand. She sat down, and the dance began.

"Mrs. Giry, you have said many times that all rape allegations have been completely false."

"Yes," Meg said, blushing a bit. She really didn't like talking about… this in front of everyone. Including her MOTHER.

Meg wasn't sure, but she imagined that if her father were alive, he would be shocked. He might have even punched the prosecution attorney, for embarrassing his little ballerina.

She wasn't so little anymore, not with the little ballerina- or chorus boy- inside her.

"And you remain that you're- um- child, is legitimate?"

"Yes,"

"Mrs. Giry, what were Erik's reasons for killing Monsieur Buquet?"

"He was endangering Erik by telling all of his secrets to the Opera House."

"So self defense?"

"That's right." She said, flashing a pretty smile.

"And Monsieurs Piangi and Andre?"

"Monsieur Andre was well know for trying to get Erik killed-," she tried to get out, but Meg was cut off.

"That is a complete fabrication, you stupid b-," Firmin shouted, still dressed in all black, from the back of the room. The courtroom broke into pure chaos.

Everyone, except for a select six, got up and yelled at one another, and one even threw a chair into the wall. "Let the lady finish!" some called, while most just wanted Erik hung straight away.

The six people who remained seated were Erik, Meg, Madame Giry, Christine, Little Jammes, and the Emperor.

Someone grabbed Erik's arm and hauled him over the bar separating him and the mob, into the melee.

Meg screamed and leapt up, but the Emperor stopped her from going into the mob to rescue him. She struggled against him, but to no avail- the Emperor was much stronger then she was- even with the baby's weight added in.

The judge banged on the gavel, but it was barely audible over the clamor. Finally, the bailiff fired a shot into the air.

"You can all act like animals outside of my courtroom!" He yelled, and acted on his animal instincts by throwing the gavel in the middle of the audience's aisle. Everyone grudgingly took their seats, but two very rowdy men were still holding Erik captive in the back row. "Release him, boys." The judge said, obviously annoyed, and pointing a knowing finger at them.

They did, and Erik shoved himself away from them. He smoothed his vest, clearing the dust that the chair in the wall caused to fall, off of him.

Meg and the Emperor returned to their seats when Erik reached the defense bench again, but when the two men's paths crossed, they looked at each other with hate in their eyes.

She could tell what Erik was thinking, it was a "thank you for keeping her out of the mess, but I shall have to kill you if you touch her again"… as for the Emperor, Meg could only wonder. It must have been a "I hate you" look, because Erik's eyes reflected the Emperor's.

Men must have had a secret language all of the genders own.

Questioning began again, but people interviewed were more careful in choosing their answers, lest another brawl broke out again.

Christine was one of these people. When she approached the stand, Meg glanced at Erik. He had looked down at his lap, fiddling with something. Meg couldn't help it- she grinned. Erik wasn't so bewitched in her anymore.

Sure, he might have still loved her, but…

He loved HER the best! Meg! Her!

Ah, it was a wonderful feeling. She just had to smile.

"Meg, darling, pay attention," Madame Giry said, squeezing Meg's hand softly. Oh, Meg HAD tried to pay attention, but she was just so happy. She wanted to dance. However, the baby kicked again. She took this as a sign that she should be more aware, so she tried once again to pay attention…

Oh, but Christine's story was so BORING. Everyone had heard it at least one hundred times already. The Judge yawned and Meg saw that even he was getting tired of it.

After all, the prosecution did base his entire charge on Christine's story. Or, so she heard. Meg stormed out halfway through the prosecution trial, so she never heard the rest of it.

Du Claw and his attorney assistant spent almost two hours going through Christine's story, dissecting bit by bit. At the end of the examination, Christine sounded positively insane.

Oh, this was WONDERFUL! Meg wanted to clap her hands. They couldn't lose now, not with du Claw and his assistant-friend. They were too good.

After they interviewed Firmin, (which Meg dozed off through, the man simply did not have a way with words that could remotely interest anyone) the Emperor, Little Jammes, Little Odette (who fainted twice during cross examination), and Madame Giry, the jury was excused for a verdict.

Everyone rushed outside to stretch his or her legs, but Meg staid inside, with Erik. The bailiff had vouched for him and he was allowed an hour outside of his holding cell to wait for the verdict.

As soon as the last person had left, Meg rushed into Erik's arms. "We'll win! We'll win!" she said, positively giddy. "Erik, Erik, you'll be acquitted!" she kissed all around his face, almost unable to contain her joy.

Erik laughed- actually laughed. And not the cruel laugh that he had done so much lately, but a hearty, thankful one. He lifted her up and twirled her around as best he could in shackles, both of them laughing.

He picked her up, like he was cradling her, one of his hands underneath her knees. He sat down in his seat again, and that was how they stayed until the recess was over.

"Jury, have you reached a decision?" The judge said, kneading his forehead.

"Yes, we have!" the head of the jury said, standing up.

"What say you," the judge said, half heartedly.

"We find the defendant, Erik…um, Giry…"

YAY YOU GUYS.

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… or I wont update.

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Love from Lemony A.