Clark popped a few pain killers as he slowly emerged from his bed. He felt both pleased and nervous. He had to testify at Lionel's trail today. Lex had made sure that everything was moved along very quickly; it was miraculous. Usually trails were dragged out for months and months, but Lex had managed it all in the span of only a few weeks. Clark couldn't thank Lex enough. He wanted Lionel behind bars as quickly as possible.
Clark had gone to the arraignment days ago, where Lionel was told of the charges against him- attempted murder, and First degree Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to cause serious physical injury. Of course, Lionel pleaded not guilty.
Clark's lawyers had easily obtain the indictment, which, as they explained it to Clark, was a formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime, to justify having a trial. Even though it is used primarily for felonies (and this was a capital offense) it applied to their case because Lionel could be acquitted of attempted murder, the capital offense, which would leave first degree assault- a felony.
Clark and Lex weren't very happy at all with how things were going. Lionel had been granted bail, seeing as they could not prove he was harmful to anyone, except Clark. So Clark was giving a temporary restraining order, which prohibited Lionel from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
Then Clark had been informed yesterday of an impeachment, which called into question Lionel's past record of crime, and the judge had favored with Lionel, saying that the plaintiff (Clark's party) was prohibited from referencing to his past convictions at all. The reasons were, that the plaintiff was going create a bad image of Lionel, which would affect the jury's decision. So Clark couldn't use Lionel's past strikes to prove he was capable of this, because Clark and Lex both saw the insanity plea was about to come into play.
Clark let out a sigh, this should have been an easy win, but Lionel's lawyers were very powerful, and no doubt had a few judges in their pockets. But still, Clark had enough evidence to convict Lionel, no matter how many strings they pulled; which made Clark nervous when Lionel didn't plead guilty, which would provide a lesser sentence.
When Clark asked his lawyer, what the chances were that Lionel could use the insanity plea and win were, he had said that if Lionel planned to contend he suffered a fit of insanity, then his best chance was to convince the prosecutor of his mad state of mind before his case goes to trial, which he said he had done sufficiently.
"Clark, did you just get up?" Lana walked into his bedroom, seeing Clark was still in his boxers. Even though his wounds were bandaged, it still hurt her to see them.
"Yeah, what time is it?" Clark was worried, was he late?
"It's not even 7 yet." Lana told him, knowing he thought he had missed the 8am trail, "I just assumed since Lex was up at 5, you would be too."
"No, Lex is taking care of everything." Clark was so grateful, and so was Lana. She didn't want extra stress on Clark, who wasn't even half recovered yet. Plus she knew how much this was thrashing on his emotions.
Lana watched as Clark pressed a hand to his head, a movement he wouldn't have done unless he was in pain, "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine." Clark ignored the headache and throbbing in his rib cage, along with his stomach.
Lana saw his lie, but understood it. He didn't want anyone making him delay the trail, or keep him at home, so she pretended to believe the lie, "Do you want me to do anything?" Lana was here today strictly for moral support. Clark had practically exploded when she mentioned wanting to testify too. He was very adamant that she would have nothing to do with the trail. He didn't want her getting tangled up in this.
"Um..." Clark tried to think threw his headache, "I don't think so."
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Clark was very thankful that his headache had disappeared earlier in the day. Clark tried to control his body from tensing up, as he entered the courtroom, but failed. As much as he tried to deny it, it scared him. He had no idea what was to come, and he knew how smart Lionel and their lawyers were.
Power is another word I use to describe you
Your mighty wind comes and blows me away
Crying, coming out lying.
I could feel your grip
I shake whenever you speak my name
But his main cause of fret, was the fact that he had not had to face Lionel since the incident, and just the thought made him want to sprint from the courtroom. He didn't know why he felt so intimidated, he had the upper hand, but he was. Clark had seen too many times how innocent people could be condemned and guilty people could be released.
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Lana sat behind Clark,
close to the front of the room, as the trail continued. Everything
was very confusing, since she was very blind in matters of law. But
she basically understood everything that had happened so
far.
Lionel's lawyers were saying that Lionel had a temporary fit
of insanity, caused by childhood trauma, anger, among other
things.
Lana hated watching this. She saw the way Clark looked
once he saw Lionel. He was scared and worried and Lionel had a look
of vindictiveness that made it extremely hard to not feel
intimidated. But what amazed her most was how Lionel changed so
quickly, to an expression and mannerisms that showed deep sorrow, and
the way his lawyers worded things, twisting them to make Clark look
like a monster. They were so convincing and it frightened Lana.
And
I'm surrounded
You over power me
You're a silent rage
You're
a hurricane
Lana wished she could be next to Clark, but it
wasn't an option.
Clark felt such nervousness and overall worry,
as he was called up as a witness, that he felt physically sick.
You
are everything I can not see and can't explain
You're an enigma,
wrapped in a mystery
Everywhere I go, I can't escape your energy
Can't escape your energy
He had sworn to tell the
truth, but that wasn't going to happen, it just wasn't an option.
There were too many things about his unique DNA that he had to lie to
protect his true identity. He was going to try and tell the truth
most of the time, to prevent tripping up and hanging himself.
"Clark,
tell us what happened on April 11th." His lawyer asked
him.
"Well, I came in to my father's office late at night,
and we started arguing." Clark said it confidently, although
that was the last thing he felt.
"What were you arguing
about?" His lawyer asked.
"It was about family. How he
didn't treat me or my brother right." He wasn't quite sure how
to sum it up.
"Okay, go on. What happened next?" His
lawyer urged.
"Well, it was getting pretty heated and I
screamed at him, saying I hated him..." Clark knew he had to put
the truth there, because they needed to see that Lionel did it out of
anger, not insanity, "And he shot me twice. I don't really
remember much after that, only that my brother, Lex was standing over
me."
"I have no further questions." His lawyer
planned to ask him more later.
So the cross examination began, and
Lionel's lawyers questions him.
"Clark, where did this gun
come from?" He asked.
Clark couldn't lie, he knew his finger
prints where on the gun, "From my room."
"But you
said that the defendant shot you in his office. So how did he get the
gun?" Lionel's lawyers asked, knowingly.
"He took it
from me." Clark said more softly.
"So you are saying,
that you are the one who brought the gun into the room. Why did you
do that? Did you want to harm your father?" He asked.
"No.
I was scared and I didn't want to confront him without a way of
protecting myself." Clark thought he answered the question
well.
"Why would you be scared of your own father?" He
said it with satisfaction.
Clark paused a moment before answering,
and when he did his voice was shaky with real emotion, "I was
scared because the last time we had got in a fight he had... he hurt
me; threw me against a bookshelf and into a glass table. I thought he
was going to kill me, and the only reason he didn't have the chance
was because my brother came in, and stopped him."
Lionel's
lawyer's eyes showed that he wasn't expecting that, but he quickly
moved on, again trying to blame it on Clark, "It doesn't make
sense Clark. If you felt you were in enough danger that you needed a
gun, why confront him at all?"
Clark wasn't sure how to
answer, "I wanted him to stop treating me like he was."
"Clark,
you say Lionel treated you and your brother so horribly, but had he
ever hurt you before this incident you spoke of earlier?" He
challenged.
"Not physically." Clark said
truthfully.
"Hasn't he always provided you with everything
you needed? Spent time with you?" He asked, trying to corner
Clark, and it would work.
"Yes." Clark whispered.
"That
is all my questions, for now." He retuned to his side of the
courtroom, as Clark was permitted to step down, and go back to his
normal seat. Lana mouthed 'I love you' as Clark sat back down.
Did
find, that is was always you
With beautiful time
I see you win
everything
You're fire when it rains
"I'd like to
call Lionel Luther to the stand." Lionel's lawyer said.
Once
in the appropriate chair, the questions began, "Lionel, Clark
has tried to portray you as a horrible father. Would you say you have
a good relationship with your son?"
"I had an excellent
relationship with Clark, up until a few months ago." Lionel
asked truthfully.
"So what changed?" The lawyer
asked.
"Clark was in a car accident, which left him in a coma
for two weeks. When he woke up, he had changed. He was uncontrollable
and he had horrible fits of rage he would go into. He started acting
completely out of character, and didn't trust anyone." Lionel
spoke it convincingly.
"Clark claims you attacked him, prior
to April 11th. Is that true?" The lawyer asked.
"No, I
would never attack him. The incident Clark is referring to, well he
went into a rage and I was only defending myself." Lionel's
response was weak.
"Lionel, what happened on April 11th?"
He said it with a tone of sympathy.
"I was in my office
working, and Clark came in, completely irrational... and we were
arguing and... I don't know. The next thing I knew I was standing
over Clark, and I had shot him." Lionel's voice cracked, as he
shook with silent sobs.
The lawyer addressed the jury, "From
everything we've heard from the other witnesses, Lionel loved his
children and was devoted to them. He absolutely adored them. He's
sad. Now why would a sane person just shoot his son in a small family
spat? He wouldn't." He returned back to Lionel, "What were
you and Clark fighting about?" The question had already been
asked, but the answer they wanted had not been given.
"My son
Julian's death and my wife's, are all I remember us discussing."
Lionel truly looked so torn up, but Clark knew it was all an act, and
it made him so angry, because it was believable.
"What
exactly was said?" Lionel's lawyer asked.
"I remember
Clark saying that Julian's death was my fault... that my wife never
loved me... that my parents hated me, and I should have died with
them, in the fire... I don't really remember the exact words."
Lionel's eyes regained the glassy, teary look again. He made Clark
sound so heartless.
Lionel's lawyer addressed the jury again,
"Reminded of his son's death, and wife's passing, told by his
son that he hated him, and he should have died with his parents.
These are all such traumatic events in themselves, is it any wonder
why he had a psychotic break? He was so disoriented in his realities
that he didn't know what he was doing. And we shouldn't be treating
people who are mentally ill and committing crimes as a result of that
illness, the same as a person with their full faculties." He
finished up as Clark's lawyer approached the stand.
"Mr.
Luther, in the video tape we saw earlier, in which you shot Clark,
you seemed very angry, were you not?" He asked.
"I was
more sad than angry." Lionel tried to avoid it, to turn their
attention back to his sorrow, to get the jury's sympathy.
"The
tape showed the actions of a sane man. If indeed you were so broken
up over the realization that you had shot your son, why did you run?
Why didn't you help Clark, or call an ambulance?" He dared
him.
"I was in shock, and I still didn't think it was
reality." Lionel answered.
"When did you realize that
you had indeed shot your son?" Clark's lawyer prodded.
"Later
that evening I returned and saw the blood on the floor... and then I
knew." Lionel looked away, as if in deep pain and sorrow.
"Then
how come you didn't search for information about Clark? You weren't
concerned about his welfare?" He turned the tables, making
Lionel seem cold hearted.
"I wanted to, but I wasn't sure
where he was." Lionel answered pathetically.
"Mr.
Luther, there is only one medical center in Smallville. You had to
know where he was, yet you never once made an attempt to visit Clark,
or call about him, the 5 days he was in the hospital." He said
it with conviction.
Lionel didn't answer, and Clark's lawyer
didn't want him to.
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Capture, it's just a
word to capture all I feel when still
You win everything
I
don't want to be your slave
And I'm surrounded and you overpower
me
Other witness were brought up, all in attempt to bring
up Clark's past incidents in a maneuver meant to strip the jury's
sympathy towards Clark, and make it seem like Lionel had gone threw
so much raising Clark, as he was once referred to as a 'problem
child'. Once again, Clark was at the witness stand, being
interrogated by Lionel's lawyers.
"Clark, isn't it true that
not a month ago you attacked your father? Threatening to kill him?"
He asked.
"Yes." Clark couldn't deny it. Earlier Lex had
been forced to tell many bad things Clark had done in the past, that
incident being one of them.
"Why did you attack your father?
Had he done something to you?" The lawyer asked another one of
the unending questions.
"I never actually hurt him."
Clark defended himself.
"Answer the question." The
lawyer told him.
"I don't know why." Clark said.
"You
mean, it wasn't because Lionel had told you, you were going to be
sent to a boarding school, for your recent behavior? You probably
didn't like that very much. You're sure you weren't having a tantrum
because things weren't going your way?" He smiled.
"No,
that wasn't it." Clark grew increasingly nervous, and felt
trapped.
"But earlier your father and brother testified that
you actually said 'I'll show you! Just try and send me to boarding
school.' Are you saying that you didn't say that? Keep in mind, that
you are under oath, Mr. Luther." He was a good lawyer, trapping
Clark. Anything Clark said would benefit his client.
"I said
it, but I didn't know what I was doing." Clark said rather
loudly.
"You didn't know what you were doing because you were
on drugs, weren't you?" He trapped him once again.
Clark
couldn't say that his father had drugged him, because he had no
proof, and the explanation was more dangerous than it would help,
"Yes." He murmured.
"Clark you seem to be a
troubled young man. The things we've been hearing about you, your
actions seem to endanger everyone around you. Clark, don't you think
it must have been hard for your father to handle your behavior and
maybe he just snapped mentally?" He asked.
"No!"
Clark slammed both his palms against the wood in front of him,
standing up "He shot me because he was angry with me! If I am
bad son, he is twice the bad father!"
"Mr. Luther,
Please control yourself, and sit down." The judge verbally
reprimanded Clark. Clark was angry with himself for his outburst, but
he was so incredibly frustrated. He had been reminded and judged for
every mistake he had made, when Lionel did twice as much, only they
couldn't use any of it against him, as the judge had ordered before
the trail.
Clark rested his elbows on the wood surface in front of
him, and ran his hands threw his hair.
Lionel's lawyer seemed
please, and faced the jury, "If the plaintiff can't even control
his temper in court, you can only imagine how it is at home. Clark
accuses Lionel of so many things, but it seems he is the one who
keeps being at fault for the domestic violence. Ask yourselves, could
you handle a teenager like this? Imagine the constant stress and
worry having a teenager who is constantly getting in fights, skipping
school, disappearing for days, who has, as was shown today, committed
vandalism, harassment, and 3rd degree assault on his father among
others. Who is addicted to drugs-"
"Objection! That is
speculation!" Clark's lawyer interjected.
"I retract my
statement." Lionel's lawyer said, and continued, "All this
is cause enough for a mental breakdown, or break from
reality."
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Your energy will destroy me
The trail dragged on and on, and Lana watched as Lionel's lawyer sat down after his closing arguments and Clark's approached the jury to make his.
"Today, we've heard of all the reason that Lionel Luther supposedly had a break with reality, and shot his son unknowingly. But those reasons don't hold water. If Lionel didn't have a mental breakdown after his son Julian's death, or his wife's, or his parents, then why should he have one at the mere mention of it? It has been brought up that stress of dealing with Clark's actions also contributed to it. A self made billion goes threw many stressful times, and earlier I listed all the trails Lionel has gone threw in his life. If after all that Lionel Luther is still sensible enough to contract million dollar deals, and run his company with such wisdom that it only continues to increase it's profits, why can't he handle a teenager's small outburst? If you all think back, I'm sure you can remember a fight you had with your parents as a teenager, and I doubt any of them reacted by shooting you. It has been insinuated that Lionel Luther's breakdown had been coming for a long time, that he had, had previous breaks in realities, just that they were too small for anyone to take notice. Well if that is so, how come Clark's simple words triggered Lionel. Surely there are worse and far more stressful things that he encounters day to day that would have triggered him, unless he was mentally stable. He is a very smart man, and he was mentally stable the night he tried to murder his son, he even had the sense to flee. Now that is only something people do when they know they are guilty. So I am asking you to find Lionel Luther guilty on the charge of attempted murder."
&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&"Clark, are you okay?" Lana hugged Clark once they were out of the courtroom. The jury was deciding on a verdict and the trail was over, save the sentencing, pending on a conviction.
"Yeah..." Clark wasn't okay. He would only be okay once he heard the jury pronounce Lionel guilty. This case should have been an easy win, but now Clark felt so worried Lionel would prevail.
Clark hugged Lana back. He was so happy she was here, because she gave him additional strength.
"Clark, let's go eat. Try not and worry." Lana could feel how nervous and scared he was, and he had reason to be.
"Lana, you know that's impossible, but let's go eat anyways." Clark felt his headache return to him. If Lionel got off, he could spend less than a year in psychiatric hospital and be right back out. It was the most frightening thought he had ever known.
Power is another word I use to describe you
I can't escape it, I can't escape. Oh no, no, no, no
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Clark found it impossible to eat, and he went back the mansion, with Lana in tow. Lana couldn't bear to leave Clark alone.
Clark stepped out of the car, in his driveway, and immediately veered off to the side, near the bushes and vomited, over and over. He was so panicked and uneasy, and it couldn't be contained anymore. This was physically making him sick.
Clark avoided Lana's look of sympathy as he made his way into the mansion. He immediately grabbed a glass of water to rinse out his mouth, and headed to his room.
Lana entered his room 30 seconds after he did. He was lying on his bed, a hand over his face.
"It's going to be okay, Clark." She tried to comfort him, and sat down on the bed, and placed a hand on his leg.
"Lana..." Clark sat up, "Thanks for coming today."
"Of course." Lana smiled.
Clark kissed her on the cheek and he hugged her. Neither spoke, but they laid down in bed, and took comfort in each other's presence. Lana's head rested on Clark's chest, and he had an arm around her shoulders. Lana had her arm across his stomach, making sure she didn't press against his injured spots.
After a while, they both fell asleep, from exhaustion and stress. They both welcomed the sleep.
&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&Clark awoke from being nudged.
"What?" Clark woke up suddenly, and sat up quickly, which sent a spike of pain threw his abdomen and chest, but he ignored it.
"Clark, they have a verdict. They want us to go down to the courthouse." Lana told him.
"Oh." Clark realized where he was, "Let's go." He needed the answer to be guilty so bad.
Clark couldn't believe it when he saw his Clark saw 10am. Had he slept almost 36 hours? It didn't matter, what mattered was the verdict. But if it had taken the jury that long, almost 40 hours, to decide on a verdict, he knew how close it really was. He was glad that at least there wasn't a hung jury.
He didn't even change, or take a shower, before he left the house. Those things never even crossed his mind.
Power is another word I use to describe you
Your mighty wind come and blow me away
Crying, coming out lying.
I could feel your grip
I shake whenever you speak my name
And I'm surrounded
You over power me
You're a silent rage
You're a hurricane
&
&
&TBC...
Okay, I worked REALLY, really, really hard on that. I hope you understood it, and it wasn't confusing. I tried my best. It took me forever and I am not a lawyer, so it made it double hard. So please reply & lemme know what you thought about it. Flames are welcome, if it was incomprehensible, then tell me. If it was boring, tell me.
Okay, song lyrics by Skillet "Energy"