"How are you after that?" I asked as we walked as everyone had started to leave the courtroom.

"Better than yesterday; I feel like yesterday kind of prepared me for today," he explained. "What about you?" He enquired.

"Same" I agreed as I snuggled my head back against his chest as he wrapped his left arm back around my shoulders. "Benny?" I sang cheerfully.

"Aha?" I heard him answer as I slid my left hand into his left and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I love you" I told him fondly as I looked up at him. "And we can get through anything as long as we are together" I added happily.

"I love you too" he smiled before he pressed a kiss against my lips. Ben quickly deepened the kiss, however when the door opened we broke apart abruptly and when we looked over to the door we saw Evie, Jay, Carlos, Adam and Belle walk into the room.

"Oh!" Evie exclaimed. "Do you need us to leave?" she questioned with a smirk.

"No" I answered as I shook my head.

"Of course not" Ben added as he rested his head against mine.

"How are you both doing?" Adam questioned as they all sat down.

"Fine" Ben answered as I ran the thumb on my left hand along his hand. "Just wanting it all to be over" he further admitted.

"And it will be soon enough," Carlos offered.

"How are you feeling about the next bit?" Jay questioned

"Nervous" I admitted for the pair of us. I knew that giving evidence was going to be hard for me; so this morning we both discussed today and we both felt the same. But what made us both feel so much better was the fact that we weren't going to go into the courtroom with those animals. "What makes it better for the pair of us-" I stated as I cuddled closer into Ben. "Is the fact that we are now actually going into the courtroom" I continued.

"Not until the verdict and sentencing any way" Ben quickly interjected as he snuggled his face against my hair.

"Yeah" Jay answered.

"How are you feeling about your statement you need to give Carlos?" Evie questioned.

"Nervous," he admitted. "I just want to do well for the pair of you," he added as he nervously started to fidget with the rings on his left hand.

"And you will," I stressed. "Just tell them everything that you did and saw, you can't do no more than that

"I know," he answered. "And even though I want them to pay, I just want to make sure that everything is above board," he explained.

"Me too," Ben advised.

"I still can't get over the fact that Bobby and Kendal are claiming insanity" Belle stated as she shook her head.

"Me neither" Adam agreed.

"Well I can" I stated. "The pair of them are snakes in the grass" I added bitterly. "They are going to try anything," I continued. "We just need to make sure that we band together as a family. Remain tight" I said. "And not let them see a single shred of anger, frustration. Even though the next part is probably going to be hard, especially when the defence gets involved" I sighed sadly as I started to mentally prepare myself for what was about to come after this recess was over.

"Amen!" Ben exclaimed. "Spoken like the future Queen of Auradon" he teased, which caused me to look up at him to see a very playful look in his eyes.

"Behave Ben" I playfully warned him.

"But you are right," he advised as we looked into each other's eyes. "We are banding together" he muttered as if he was only talking to me. "Especially me and you" he added proudly.

"Especially me and you" I repeated proudly before I snuggled back into my husband. Ben was right we were making sure that we were banding together; we needed to! There was no other option! We needed to remain strong together, as this was the only way we were going to be able to get through this whole sorry mess.


We then shared a brief conversation before we heard a knock on the door; when Ben called for them to come in I watched as staff came in with camera and mics for me and Ben. I couldn't help but take a deep breath in - this was it. Me and Ben were about to give our testimony, but Ben was first - I just hoped that I was going to be able to get him through this.