Disclaimer: NBC owns all of the SBTB characters and I am using the names of two Oliver! Characters as the defense and prosecution, but they are not the actual characters.

"Jury, do we have a verdict?" Judge Webb asked, indicating for the head juror to give him the verdict. When Judge Webb opened the enveloped, he cringed, but read the results.

"The jury finds Zachary Morris not guilty of vehicular manslaughter due to evidence that it was just an accident, if not Stacy Carosi's fault. All charges are dropped. Well, Mr. Morris, I expect you to meet up with Mr. Carosi immediately in the conference room. Court dismissed."

Zack sighed with relief and wheeled himself back to the conference room, when he felt somebody pushing him.

"I'm here for you, Zack," Kelly whispered in his ear, wheeling him back.

Inside the conference room was Stacy's family, all crying, or else very serious. Mr. Sowerberry, Zack's lawyer, and Mr. Bumble, who was apparently the Carosi's lawyer, were both waiting.

Stacy's father stepped forward.

"Zack, I had no idea... You're in a wheelchair?"

"Yes."

"Is it.... permanent?"

"As far as I know. They say it's extremely unlikely I'll ever walk again."

"I... I didn't know... I'm sorry, Zack."

"How much do you want?"

"I...."

"Mr. Carosi, you sued me. How. Much. Do. You. Want. Because apparently, I haven't suffered at all from Stacy's reckless driving and I haven't spent some nights crying because I realize that Stacy is gone forever. But enough about me. How. Much. Do. You. Want."

"Zack... I'm not going to go through with it."

"WHAT?!!?!" Mr. Bumble screamed and lunged at Mr. Carosi. "I mean, don't you think you should consult your lawyer about this first?"

"No, because while we may be in pain over Stacy's death and mourning, I realize Zack is too. And the trial made me realize it wasn't even his fault, and he is suffering enough."

"You're kidding....?" Zack whispered.

"I know, I know, I'm an old penny pincher, but Stacy would be upset if she knew that we were trying to get money out of you for this. Stacy wouldn't want it this way..."

"Dead girl really shouldn't play a role here..." Mr. Bumble muttered.

"LOOK HERE, BUMBLE. DEAD GIRL IS MY DAUGHTER. SHUT UP. And, also, YOU'RE FIRED," Mr. Carosi screamed himself red in the face.

"Mr. Carosi, I am very, very sorry about Stacy.... I truly am..." Zack teared up. He felt Kelly's hand on his back.

"I know how close of friends you were that summer. I hate to see you like this Zack. You're a good kid. You don't deserve it."

"We take what we're given, Mr. Carosi. I've come to realize that."

"Looks like you got a good girl who'll stand behind you. I think Stacy would approve."

"Thanks Mr. C," Zack sobbed, and hugged Mr. Carosi. They didn't say anything further. They didn't need to.

"Zacky!" Mrs. Morris squealed, waiting outside of the courthouse with the van. She had been banned from the courtroom as well because of the banana bread incident.

"Mom... I'm free," Zack said, feeling truly free for the first time since the accident.

"I don't understand how that so called justice system works. I'm just glad to have my Zacky back," Mrs. Morris said and gave Zack a suffocating hug.

"I guess I should head home, Zack.... I'll let you be with your mother..."

"No! Kelly, it's okay. You can ride home with us if you want."

"Is that alright Mrs. Morris?" Kelly asked hesitantly.

"That's alright with me. All aboard!"

It was a Thursday night that Zack got home from the courthouse and he asked the unthinkable question.

"Mom, can I go to school tomorrow?" Zack asked through a bite of spare rib.

"Zack, don't you think you should get back your strength?"

"Mom, I want to go to school next year at a university. I think I boost my chances if I go back as soon as possible," Zack reasoned as he took huge bites of mashed potatoes.

"Zack, Mr. Belding will understand," Kelly said, and gave him yet another kiss, the tenth since they'd left the courthouse. While ordinarily she would not kiss Zack in front of his parents, they understood.

"Kelly, I'm going, and that's final."

"Gosh Zack, you just want that Lizzie girl in choir."

"No, Eliza."

"ZACK!" Kelly smacked him across the cheek.

"OWWW! I was kidding!" Zack winced as Kelly kissed his cheek to make it "better."

"Where are you going to college, Zack?" Kelly asked, realizing Zack had not made that important decision.

"Well... Uhh... Maybe Yale, or Cal U, or East Carolina, or Western Carolina..."

"ECU or WCU? Why Carolina, Zack?" Kelly asked, not having realizing he had applied.

"They offered me track scholarships.... I guess it's kinda pointless for that now, but WCU also offered me a good academic scholarship and they said they needed more people from out of state..."

"If you're going to Carolina, why not UNC or Duke?"

"They didn't accept me...." Zack muttered, feeling embarassed.

"YALE ACCEPTED YOU AND THOSE TWO DIDN'T?" Kelly snapped.

"I know I know! But I was thinking, YOU could get into WCU or ECU....."

"And what's that supposed to mean Zack?"

"It means I know that you're on the waiting list for Cal U and didn't even get into Yale. And I saw that you applied for ECU and WCU... And you got into ECU...."

"And waiting list of WCU!" Kelly snapped indignantly. She knew she didn't have the best grades, but she didn't need Zack to remind her.

"I'm going to WCU. My parents sent my tuition deposit already."

"I.... I guess I'll have to meet you half way because I'm going to ECU.... At least we'll be in the same state, huh?"

"6 hours away....."

"Why a mountain school, Zack? For a California surfer boy?"

"Because I can't get near an ocean Kelly! I don't want to have easy access to beaches! It's torture, because in case you didn't notice, I'm in a wheelchair!"

"I'm sorry that I easily forget that, Zack, especially when we're sitting down at this nice dinner!" Kelly snapped, walked out of the house and cried her way home.