Blaze Of Glory

PikaDarkness

Chapter 15

The Trial

Waking up early, Jeff had an enormous amount of fear in him. The trial was today and he could very well be going back to prison. There was a knock on his door. Jeff told them to come in, Emma entered looking a bit sheepish.

"Woke up early too huh?" Jeff asked grinning. Emma nodded, Jeff patted a spot on his bed and Emma sat down right next to him.

"It's 3am" Emma said.

"What?!"

Emma nodded. "I woke up from fear, just like you."

Jeff lightly shoved Emma, "What are you scared about?"

"You going back to jail." Emma looked down at the bedcovers sadly, Jeff felt bad again, a fourteen year old shouldn't be seeing their father fight for freedom like this. Jeff put an arm around Emma's shoulders bringing her in for a one armed hug.

"Don't worry I am not going back there."

Emma looked up. "You don't know that, what if their like the policeman who called the story a load of shit? You'll be gone 12 years!"

"Emma don't think of that right now, lets just go back to sleep hoping for the best" Jeff kissed the side of her forehead. Emma was still looking down at the bed. Emma didn't want to go back to bed, she couldn't. Jeff sensed that.

"Look you can go to sleep here alright? I don't think you'll look good going in the court room with bags under your eyes."

Emma got under the blankets, falling asleep in minutes, Jeff knew she dropped off because of her change of breathing, and he closed his eyes and went to sleep too."

***

The court room filled, Delia, without Jeff knowing, had gotten a lawyer for him. Jeff's stomach was in knots. Emma was seated beside him. So was the lawyer a female, fierce looking female by the name of Rosella.

Suddenly the judged banged the big hammer, Jeff jumped and grasped Emma's hand.

"Alright this court is now in session, the accused please stand."

Jeff got up.

"Sit down." Jeff did so.

"Mr Hardy, accused of murdering Frank Fulton, on the 23rd of August, the weapon of the crime was this green fold out knife." A guard that looked familiar to the one in the prison held it up for the jury to see.

"Lawyer James Ridgeway please step forward." A man from the table across from them stood up. Walking to the middle of the room he made a speech.

"Breaking and Entering is a crime… but so is murder, this man" he pointed at Jeff. "Might have been 'defending' his daughter, but he told her to go outside now didn't he? So what was he protecting then? Himself? I for one don't think so. This man -a petty criminal…" Emma tightened her grip on Jeff's hand with a look of pure anger. "Murdered a man… one month isn't enough for a crime so evil it takes a lot of selflessness to commit. I now call on Emma Hardy to the stands, Emma was stunned that he wanted her up their but got up and sat in the box regardless.

"Miss Hardy, do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

"I do" Emma said a little bored. No-one caught that except for Jeff who tried to hide a grin.

"Miss Hardy" James asked pacing infront of her hands met behind his back. "How would you describe you father?"

"A good honest man, convicted of a crime he didn't commit. He is a wild caring person who wouldn't kill anyone, provoked or not, he wouldn't kill anyone."

"But you were outside when the murder was committed how can you possibly know if your father did it or not."

Emma considered that for a moment.

"Tell me sir, do guilty people cry about crimes? Or do they savour the feeling of the crime they did? Or do the innocent cry the wrongly accused people who are suffering for something they never did?"

Everyone was stunned at her choice of words.

"My father has been crying, innocent cry, the guilty don't that's how I know sir. And if he did murder the man, why did he call the police to try to explain and sort everything out hoping it all turns out ok?"

"No further questions."

The judge looked at Rosella. "Do you wish to cross examine?"

"I do sir"

Rosella got up. "What were you doing when the man came in?"

"Me and my father were mucking around throwing popcorn, I tipped the bowl on him and ran upstairs into my room, that's where the man appeared." Emma seemed to answer these questions so flawlessly for someone who was so scared mere hours ago.

"When your father was fighting the man… did he show any sign of wanting to kill?" Rosella asked with concern.

"No, he was acting in self defence he may have thrown punches ma'am but no he didn't and wasn't aiming to kill."

"I call Jeff Hardy to the stands." Emma quickly got off the seat and walked to the table and sat down, watching Jeff sit down.

"Do you…?"

"I do."

Rosella looked at Jeff.

"What happened after you sent Emma outside?"

Jeff licked his lips before speaking "The man was swinging the knife at me wildly, I grabbed his wrist but never got the knife out of his hands, he threw punches to my midsection when he figured out I wasn't going to give up he said 'the worst is yet to come' then pulled his hand from my grip. I tensed up thinking this was it my time had ended, but I was bewildered when he put it in himself instead."

"Mr Hardy tests were done and your fingerprints are on the knife too"

Jeff nodded. "They would be because when he died I wrenched the knife out of him, I didn't want to see him die and I thought he might've had a good chance of survival, but he died so I left him there to go find Emma."

Rosella nodded. "No further questions."

"Would you like to cross examine?"

"Yes your honour."

James got up with a cocky expression on his face.

"Is it true your wife is dead."

"Yes it is sir." Jeff was wondering why this was brought up.

"And correct me if I'm wrong… you were supposedly were at work?"

Jeff nodded. "I was sir."

"Well it seems to me you could've lit that fire that claimed your wife's life almost taking your child's with it."

Jeff jumped back, stunned and severely hurt. Why would he want to kill Andrea?

"I-I would never-"

"And you enjoyed the feeling of the murder so you decide to give it one more shot?"

"No!" Jeff had tears strolling down his face. "I would never try to kill anyone, not my wife not my child not a stranger!"

"If you ask me… it fits, murder your wife… love the feeling so much you go at it one last time."

"I would NEVER! Kill anyone!"

"Objection your honour!"

Emma wanted to hurt this lawyer, tears were cascading down Jeff's cheeks, Emma couldn't bear to see it, and Jeff try to murder Andrea and her? How idiotic, Jeff loved Andrea and her and he had never hurt them in any way.

"You think because I was out the night the fire happened that I wasn't in the fire too that I started the fire? You know what? Someone had to work being a gentleman I made that person myself Andrea took care of Emma while I worked to get money to live off! Does that sound like a murderer to you?" Jeff had snapped. "Does a murderer try to save someone who committed suicide while fighting with someone? Does a murderer call the police and try to explain everything and try to fix things? Because if it does to you then were all murderers… murdering different things, freedom, loyalty, friendship, bravery, family, love, sports, school the list goes on."

Emma felt an overwhelming feeling of pride towards Jeff. He may not know but he just said all the things that could put him in the clear.

"No… further questions." James was shocked, Jeff got up from his seat and walked back down to his seat meeting Emma's tight hug as he sat down.

"We now ask the jury to make their decision."

Everyone got up and left Jeff and Emma followed, lunch break.

"Dad you were amazing!" Emma cried leaping in Jeff's arms again. "You've got it in the bag!"

"Me? What about you and your 'Guilty people don't cry' stuff? That shoulda convinced them no doubt!" They were in a hyper mood.

"I cant believe that bastard tried to pin Mum's death on you…" Emma shook her head.

"Desperation, he was acting on desperation." Jeff shook his head too.

When lunch break was over everyone sat back in their seats.

"Jury have you come up with a decision?"

A lady in a blue cardigan stood up "We have your honour…" Jeff grasped Emma's hand who rubbed his with her thumb.

"We find the accused, Mr Jeff Hardy…"

The dreadful pause. Emma couldn't bear the suspense.

"… not guilty."

Emma and Jeff hugged each other so tight they could strangle each other.

"You did it!" Emma said happily. "You did it!"

"No Emma!" Jeff contradicted. "We did it!"

They were over the moon with happiness, Jeff wasn't going back to prison! He was free!

When they got outside they started jumping and whooping.

"Power of Hardy washes over AGAIN!" Jeff shouted putting a gun sign in the air.

"Once again Jeff manages to squirm out a dangerous situation, Jeff how do you feel?" Emma was acting like a commentator.

"First of all to you its dad not Jeff! second I feel GREAT! WOOOO!" Jeff and Emma was laughing. "When you're a Hardy TIME TO GO PARTY YEEAAHHH!"

"Dad you an alcohol with a side dish of hyper doesn't go well but who cares!"

"Alright guys settle down." Delia said shaking her head smiling at their playfulness.

"Yeah…! Your not even away from the court yet" Ash pointed out, grinning.

"AWW DON'T RUIN THE FUN!" Jeff started dancing to no music. "PARTY!"

Ash laughed as Jeff forced him to dance, Emma joined in.

"Hey guys!" Emma shouted grabbing their attention. "Watch this."

And she back flipped twice landing on her feet.

"Holy shit!" Jeff cried.

Now it was onto the partying.

To Be Continued…

Short chapter ends in a funny way! LOL! I had fun writing this chapter. Not much to say except review and enjoy.

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