Dear Jennifer,

Mark just told me about the hearing on Monday. I haven't read your letter yet, but I wanted to write to you quickly and let you know that we'll all be pulling for you so that he could take this back with him and give it to you before the hearing.

I wish I could be there to help you through this! I hate that you're going to be put in a position to defend yourself again for things that you had no control over. Just remember that, no matter what their prejudices are, you've just as much a right to exist – and to be happy – as anyone else does. You have a knack for making people see logic. If you can talk me into letting you walk into Medlab One, you can make these people see reason.

I know that we don't know for certain how this hearing will go, but Mark seems fairly certain that just having the chance to speak to the Council is a major step in the right direction. I can't think of anything else to say right now other than I love you. Just let them see the real you. They won't stand a chance.

Love,

Jon

Jennifer finished reading and slipped the already well-worn note into her pocket. She checked her appearance in the mirror one last time – it wasn't something she often worried about, but she knew the importance of making a first impression. Kelly had helped her pick out something to wear last night, as she still didn't have much experience in that regard. Vi had watched her so closely all morning, urging her to eat and rest, that she'd eventually slipped away to Mark's workshop and lost herself in an engine that needed repair. Many of the other techs there knew her well enough now that they all wished her well as she left just a few hours before her hearing was scheduled to start. She had choked down as many bites of her dinner as she could to satisfy Vi, then excused herself to her room. Getting ready didn't calm her down, and neither did listening to music or reading. She'd finally resorted to pulling out Jon's letters and re-reading them. She wished with every fiber of her being that he was here to stand beside her through this. But she'd defended herself without him before – at Oasis, she'd been by herself, too. If she could do it at Oasis, when she'd been in danger of being harmed because of what she'd done so long ago, she could do it now. She took a deep breath, felt in her pocket for Jon's note, and headed down the stairs to where she knew her newest friends were waiting to accompany her.

"We will now hear the case of Corporal Jennifer Chase."

Beside Kelly, Jennifer took a deep breath and rose. Kelly caught her hand and squeezed it, then grabbed Mark's and held on for dear life as she watched her friend walk up to the seat at a long table that faced the eight men and women that made up the Council. Kelly hated that Jennifer had to sit there alone. No one doubted that she was strong enough – but it wasn't right. No one should have to do something like this without a friendly face to look at. At least Rebecca Chambers gave her an encouraging smile as she sat down. Chambers seemed fairly confident that Jennifer could make the Council see reason. Kelly studied the faces of the other seven members to see if she could detect any sign that the others had changed their minds. It was impossible to tell from where Kelly was seated.

The chairman of the Council read aloud a statement that explained how they'd been informed about her history as a member of the Dread Youth, and the actions that they'd decided upon in an emergency meeting right before they'd arrived at the hangar to stop Jennifer's flight back home. He then invited Jennifer to begin. Not for the first time, Kelly marveled at the amount of inner strength her friend possessed as she watched Jennifer square her shoulders and adjust the microphone. Big things did come in small packages, she thought with a smile.

The first two rows seemed to collectively hold their breaths. They were filled with people who considered Jennifer a friend, including Vi, Mark, Kelly, Shawn Barton, Sam, and Tim Schultz. They all listened intently as she described for them her history – her first memories in the Youth, some of what her childhood had been like. Then she described her realization that everything she'd been taught was a lie, her fear at being discovered and eventual flight during a raid. Emotion filled her voice when she talked about how she'd survived on her own before she had met up with the Power team. She detailed everything she'd had to re-learn, the struggles she'd faced as she'd rediscovered her humanity, and how she had slowly begun to trust the men who became her family.

She talked about the distrust she'd faced when she'd started going on missions with the team – how no matter what she did, there were always people who refused to trust her because of her past. And how she'd continued to help, anyway. Everyone in the room could hear the passion in her voice when she spoke of helping the people still suffering from Dread's actions. She talked about how she felt a responsibility to fight Dread as long as it took, because he'd taken so much from her and from so many others. How staying here and being safe could never be enough for her because she had a job to do. How Eden was never meant to be a permanent solution for her, not because she wasn't happy there, but because her heart was out in the fight with Dread.

She thanked the Council for hearing her testimony, and waited. After a few moments of silence, they turned to one another and began whispered conversations. It was obvious that they did not all agree with each other from their body language. Jennifer never glanced back at her friends, but continued to stare up at the people discussing her fate as some of them became agitated at one another. Finally, the chairman stood and addressed those gathered in the room. "It is obvious that we have matters to discuss. I don't believe they will be completed in time to come to a decision this evening. We will meet again in two days' time to inform you of our decision. Thank you, Corporal Chase, for your time."

Kelly saw Jennifer turn back to them, and had to turn away for a moment so that her friend wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. More waiting. Would it ever end? That's when her eyes fell on a person she hadn't noticed, who must have slipped in after they'd taken their seats. William Stanton's gaze was locked on the Council members who were now exiting the room through a separate door. The look on his face was cold and angry. But that was nothing at all compared to the look that crossed his face when his eyes left the now closed door and rested on Jennifer. Kelly nudged Mark. "Look at Stanton – do you see how he's looking at her?"

Mark followed her gaze, and his expression turned dark. "Yeah, I see it. I think we're going to have to keep our guard up. Stanton's going to do everything he can to make sure the Council does what he wants them to. It might be our job to remind them that they represent more than one person." Stanton's gaze shifted as Jennifer joined her friends, and he inadvertently made eye contact with Mark. The younger man held his gaze, his expression fierce. "Don't mess with her," he said under his breath. Kelly had turned to hug Jennifer and hadn't heard him, but Tim came up behind Mark and stared back at Stanton as well. The old man finally turned away, but Tim had seen his expression.

"I think we might have a problem on our hands," he said softly to Mark.

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"It could have been a lot worse, couldn't it?" Jennifer asked the room at large.

They'd all gathered in the large dining room at Vi's. They were drinking coffee and picking at the dessert that Lottie had prepared for what she hoped would be a victory party. The mood was hopeful, but frustrated.

"Yes, it certainly could have," Sam agreed. "I really think that you reached many of them, Jennifer. You spoke so well, and so passionately…I don't know how they can't see you, hear what you said, and not believe you." He rose from his chair and went to stand beside her. She was having trouble settling, and had refused coffee, telling them that it would only make her more jittery. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "You know, most of us hadn't heard that whole story. Just the fact that you're here, and as caring and compassionate as you are, is a miracle. They have to realize that."

"They don't have to do anything," she replied, "but thanks." She sighed, and finally sank down into a chair. She picked up a cookie and broke a bite off, chewing slowly. "So, now we wait."

"Now we wait," Vi agreed. "I know it's awful, but I really think there's a chance. I watched their faces, Jennifer. I truly think you got to them – made them think. You're more than just a faceless person that they decided they needed to monitor now. You forced them to meet you, and now they know your story, and they know how hard you've fought to get where you are."

"Thanks, Vi. Thank you, all of you. It meant a lot to me that you were all there." She looked down into the mug of tea that Vi had handed her to try and calm her nerves. "Now I have to figure out how to keep myself busy for the next two days while I wait."

"I think I can help you with that," Tim said from his spot in the corner of the room. "I've finally convinced Mary that the girls need to get into town again. Katherine's been begging us to take her to the library."

Jennifer smiled up at him. "I'd like that very much."

"Well…I might have something that could keep you busy, too," Kelly said slowly. She glanced up at Matt, who smiled down at her and put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to need some help getting some things organized in the next few weeks."

"Organized? For what?" Jennifer asked her friend.

"For the wedding." Kelly's face lit up with a smile. "Mark asked me to marry him, and I said yes."

The shouts and congratulations rang out from every person in the room. Jennifer's face lost some of the tiredness that had taken over after she'd left the Council's chambers. She beamed at her friends, hugging them repeatedly and telling them how excited she was for them.

"It's not really that fast, when you think about it," Mark said when Vi teased them about rushing into such a big step. "I've known her most of my life, and I've been crazy about her for over a year now. It just took me an awfully long time to act on it. And, since Pip here is hopefully going to be leaving us soon, I had to ask Kelly now," Mark continued. "After all, this one can't be out fighting Dread when she should be at our wedding."

Jennifer looked at Kelly in amazement. "Me?"

"Yes, you goofball! Who else? Like I'd want anyone else standing up there with me on a day that important!" Kelly hugged her friend warmly. "We don't want anything big. It shouldn't be too hard to pull together quickly. But we want you here for it. So we have a lot to do before then, and I'm going to need some help."

"I don't know how much help I'll be, since I've never even been to a wedding, but I'll do everything I can!" Jennifer's eyes danced as she took in her two friends - how Mark couldn't seem to be near Kelly without touching her, and the glances they kept stealing at each other, followed immediately by glowing smiles. The Council members wondered why it was so important to her to continue fighting. This was why they continued to fight, she thought – so that more people like Mark and Kelly had a chance to be happy.

Jennifer knew she'd be up late finishing her letter to Jon that night.