Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me; it all belongs to the wonderful writers of UPN and Rob Thomas. Please don't sue!
Summary: AU Logan and Veronica find their love again thanks to Duncan.
Ship: LoVe (Logan/Veronica)
A/N: This is the next to last chapter and possibly the longest out of the story. I hope you enjoyed the ride and I hope to have the final chapter out by Monday.
xoxoxoxoxo
When Cliff had came and gone over their case, he informed them that their court date was in two days. He instructed them to dress in their best clothes and bring Rianna to the courtroom. After he had left, Veronica and Logan knew they were going to win this and keep Rianna.
xoxoxoxoxo
2 Days Later…
When Logan and Veronica arrived at the Neptune Courthouse, they were flocked with reporters who were eager to see if the son of a murderer and the girl who solved the murder were going to keep the child of their best friends away from its grandparents. Sheriff Lamb had sent some of his lackeys to usher them into the courtroom, away from the reporters.
When Cliff had came to the suite, they had told him that Lamb knew the Mannings were abusing Grace. Cliff had assured them that Lamb would testify and had left talking on his cell-phone to someone who sounded like Keith about making more copies of the "photos". And now it looked like whatever he had done had worked, as Lamb sat on the defense side of the courtroom. Veronica and Logan sat next to Cliff with Rianna in her car seat, sleeping.
"All rise for the honorary Judge Madrew." Said the bailiff. The audience, including Veronica and Logan, rose to their feet as a woman with curly brown hair in judge attire walked in through a oaken door. As Judge Madrew sat down into her chair, everyone else sat. Judge Madrew hit her gavel and the trial commenced.
"Prosecution, please state your case."
"Certainly your honor." The Manning's lawyer, Barry Randall stood up. "Your honor, my clients oldest daughter has just recently died, due to the effects of the bus crash. As you may know, she was pregnant at the time of the crash. Luckily, the child in question survived the crash, along with Miss Manning. The child again survived when Miss Manning passed away due to a blood clot. All my clients ask is that they keep their grandchild in memory of Miss Manning." Barry sat down and Judge Madrew turned to Cliff.
"Defense, please state your case."
"With pleasure your honor." Cliff replied "My clients, Miss Mars and Mr. Echolls are the legal guardians of Rianna Megan Echolls." Cliff emphasized the Echolls and earned a glare from Mr. and Mrs. Manning. "They were given this right by the biological father of Rianna, Duncan Kane. I have the legal paperwork and two letters written in his own hand by Mr. Kane. I also have proof that the Mannings would be unfit guardians to Rianna. One of my clients, Miss Mars and Mr. Kane discovered that the Mannings have been abusing their youngest daughter, Grace Manning. Along with Miss Mars, I have brought two other witnesses to this trial, a Miss Elizabeth Manning and our own Sheriff, Don Lamb." The audience gasped at Cliff's accusation and the mention of Lizzie's name.
"Please bring forward your first witness, council." Judge Madrew commanded
"Certainly. Would Miss Elizabeth Manning please come to the stand." Cliff called into the audience. There was silence until the door burst open and Lizzie walked down the aisle wearing a tight fitting black pantsuit and carrying a black purse. She stepped onto the witness stand and gave her parents dirty looks as she swore her hand on the bible the bailiff brought forth. She sat in the chair and Barry Randall stepped forward.
"Miss Manning, you are fully aware that you are testifying against your own parents?"
"Yes, I am fully aware." Lizzie replied snippily
"Okay then. Lets continue. Miss Manning, Mr. McCormick has stated that your parents have abused your younger sister, Grace. Did you ever suffered this such abuse when you were a child?"
"Yes."
"What did this abuse entail?"
"Whenever they saw "fit" that I was doing something unholier-than-thou, they would lock me in a closet in my room which was previously Meg's and is now Grace's room."
"Are you saying that along with yourself, and Grace, your parents also abused your older sister as well?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. They also made us write 'The path to God is paved with righteousness." in composition notebooks over and over again. I even brought proof."
"May we see this proof you speak of?" Judge Madrew interjected
"Of course." Lizzie began digging through her purse and brought out pictures of the closet, Grace inside the closet and a picture of the notebooks. She passed them to the bailiff, who gave them to Judge Madrew. Judge Madrew passed them onto Cliff and Barry Randall, who looked them over and handed them to the bailiff. The bailiff gave them back to Lizzie who stuck them into her purse.
"No more questions, your honor." Barry said, looking defeated and sat down.
"Defense, do you have any questions for Miss Manning?"
"No, your honor. I believe the prosecution took care of that." Cliff said with a smirk in Barry's direction. "I would however like to question our second witness, Sheriff Don Lamb."
"Proceed." Judge Madrew said. Then Sheriff Lamb in his sheriff attire walked up to the witness stand and was sworn in.
"Now Sheriff Lamb, how did you find out about the abuse of Miss Grace Manning?" Cliff asked accordingly.
"Mrs. Manning called the Sheriff's Department saying that Veronica Mars and Duncan Kane had broken into their home. When I arrived, Mr. Manning had Veronica and Duncan sitting on the floor of Grace's bedroom. He was demanding that I was arrest them. So I put them in cuffs and showed them out to the squad car. As I put the cuffs on Veronica, she was telling me to check inside the closet. So after I put them into the squad car, I went back into the Manning residence and into Grace's room. I checked the closet and found a latch. Once I opened the latch, there was a small room with a stool. Outside the room were several piles of composition notebooks."
"So you are saying that my client Miss Mars and Mr. Kane broke into the Manning residence? How come there is no record of the arrest?"
"About a block away, I let Veronica and Duncan go due to the incriminating evidence against the Mannings."
"That's all your honor."
"I will now go and deliberate and come back when I have reached my decision. Court is now in recess." Judge Madrew left the courtroom and headed to her office.
"That went pretty well." Said Logan optimistically "Lets just hope we get Rianna. I always knew the Mannings were a bit strange. Never thought of them as child abusers though."
"Things aren't always what they seem." Veronica replied blankly
xoxoxoxoxo
One Hour Later…
Judge Madrew walked into the courtroom and sat down.
"I have reached my decision." She stated matter-of-factly "I hereby award sole custody of Rianna Megan Echolls to Miss Veronica Ann Mars and Mr. Logan Alexander Echolls. Court adjourned." She slammed her gavel and Veronica jumped up to hug Logan and kissed him on the lips.
"We got her." Logan whispered into her hair and a raving Mrs. Manning and a furious Mr. Manning were escorted out of the courtroom by Lamb's lackeys.