Authors Note: I'm once again in a generous mood, I don't know what wrong with me, if it doesn't go away soon I'll have to see a doctor lol. Anyway here's another update for you all.

GermanGirl678 – I wanted the defence lawyer to be ruthless so I'm glad it worked. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Fyd818 – I wanted the lawyer for the defence to be ruthless and damn good at it so I'm glad that it worked. Thanks for the review.

Izzles – Thanks for the review and I'm glad that Hansen turned out to be as ruthless as I wanted and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Jasminesmommy – Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Sounni – I'm glad you lied my story and that it was good enough to read all in one go, thanks for the review and I hope you like his chapter.

Reen212000 – I like court room drama too but I know very little about it, I hope it's turning out alright and thanks for the review.

Steph7085 – Thanks for the review and hope you like this chapter.

My-Muse-Is-Snickers-Bar – Don't worry about not reviewing in a while, I've got kind of carried away with updating recently even I can't keep up lol. Thanks for the review.

- - -

Chapter 24

Ronon and Teyla sat in the court room and watched as the prosecution questioned Lorne. He was testifying to John's character since the defence had obviously opted to try and turn the murders back on John. So far everything was going well but he had yet to face the defence.

"So you believe that when Detective Sheppard disobeyed orders and entered the kidnappers house that he did the right thing?"

"Absolutely, his actions potentially saved that girl's life."

"What is your opinion of Detective Sheppard overall?"

"He's a good man, good cop, he has great instincts and he trusts them. He's not a murderer no matter what Kolya and the defence would have you believe."

"Thank you detective, no further questions."

Coleman sat down at her desk and Hanson stood up and walked over to Detective Lorne. "Detective, how well do you know Detective Sheppard?"

"Well enough, I've worked with him for years."

"Would you go so far as to call him a friend?"

"Yes."

"Then perhaps you are too close to the situation to offer an opinion, no further questions."

- - -

Elizabeth and John sat in a room and waited for their turn in court. They had been there all day and were beginning to think they weren't going to get into court until tomorrow. They had very little idea how the case was going. Coleman had stopped by during the lunchtime recess but she had been very vague.

She'd said Ronon and Teyla had done well but that the defence had been rather brutal with them both. As far as John was concerned that meant things weren't going as well as he'd like them to.

"John, quit tapping," Elizabeth said her voice full of frustration. John immediately ceased tapping his fingers on the side of the chair and looked at her. She looked as bored as he felt and the thought that they'd be back tomorrow was not an appealing one.

"I think we should bring cards tomorrow," he stated and Elizabeth looked up at him and smiled in amusement.

"Hopefully, we won't be in here for that long tomorrow."

"Oh I don't know, being stuck in here has it's good points," he told her with a flirtatious smile.

"Really?" she asked humorously.

"I can think of worse things than being stuck in a room with you."

"I'm sure you can."

- - -

"Captain Sumner, would you care to summarise your opinion of John Sheppard?" Coleman asked.

"He's one of my best, he trusts his instincts and whilst they sometimes get him in trouble they're generally very good. He has been key in bringing down a number of criminals from drug dealers, to kidnappers and murderers. He's dedicated his life to saving lives and he does it extremely well. He has a lot of friends amongst his colleagues and he's a good man, not a murderer."

Ronon and Teyla listened to Captain Sumner answer Coleman's questions, so far he'd painted John in a good light but they knew exactly what the defence were going to do. Coleman finished her questioning and sat down allowing Hanson to take over.

"Do you get along with Detective Sheppard?" Hanson asked.

"I wouldn't say we don't get along but I don't make a habit of socialising with my detectives."

"If that's the case then how do you know him so well, you just gave us a lovely summary of his character but if you don't socialise with him then how do you know him that well. How can you be so sure he's not a murderer if you don't spend any time with him?"

"I know all of my detectives, I don't need to socialise with them to know them. I observe them, their work on cases, their interaction with each other."

"But you don't know him, what you see could simply be a façade, the way he wants people to see him. Away from work he may be a completely different person, the type of person who is capable of murder."

"Objection, is there a question here your honour?"

"I'm sorry, I'll get to the point," Hanson responded "If you don't spend any time with John Sheppard then how can you really know who he is?"

"I suppose I can't," Sumner answered.

"Detective Sheppard and his partner spend a lot of time in your office being yelled at, care to explain?"

"Detective Sheppard sometimes goes against orders when he believes it's in the best interest of his case. Detective Emmagan as his partner follows him."

"Do you believe it is in the best interest of his cases?"

"Most often, yes."

"So you're issuing bad orders?"

"Objection!"

"Sustained," the judge stated.

"No I'm not issuing bad orders, it is my job to issue orders based on what I know. However I am not there so I can't have all the details, my detectives do. They are the ones in the situation and if they believe I have given orders that I wouldn't have had I known what they know, or if the situation changes after the orders are given then it is up to the detectives to act. To decide and judge for themselves what needs to be done and sometimes that means disregarding whatever orders they have been given. Neither Sheppard or Emmagan have ever been punished for the times they have disobeyed orders. Not because I'm soft or can't be bothered to punish them but because they did the right thing."

"So why do they get yelled at?"

"Because despite the fact they did the right thing I don't like being disobeyed and if they get yelled at it encourages them to think carefully whenever they do chose to disobey orders. It means that they think a situation through fully and consider all the possible outcomes and reduces the risk of someone getting hurt."

- - -

Court had adjourned for the day, both the prosecution and the defence had done a great job presenting their cases. The verdict could go either way and Teyla didn't like the thought that Kolya would get away. Not only did he deserve to be in prison for the rest of his miserable life but he was obviously a vengeful guy and Teyla was in no doubt that if he got away he would want revenge on the four people that had almost put him away.

She was already on his list of people who apparently needed to die, add to that him wanting revenge on her and the prospects weren't good. She and Ronon exited the court room in silence but neither of them missed the look Kolya gave them as he was led out.

"Not quite the slam dunk we were hoping for," Ronon stated.

"Not quite," Teyla replied "The damn jury are impossible to read, I can't tell what they're thinking."

"Hopefully it's something along the lines of 'Kolya's guilty'."

TBC