That was a reveal the prosecutor had to digest. It was a reveal the whole court had to take in, the whole court had to understand.

But the prosecutor didn't give up. He narrowed his eyes to slits and lowered his position. He reminded him of Jason and suddenly the bruises on Will's face started to hurt again. He felt his blood running to his head, felt that he was blushing. Looking down he awaited the next question of the prosecutor.

"So you are telling us, that Ariana Grace Fallon is your daughter?"

Will nodded, but knowing he needed to give a verbal response he took all his courage together and answered with a strong voice.

"Yes."

"So why aren't you noted down in her birth certificate?"

Will swallowed.

"I gave up my parental rights before she was even born."

That was just the thing the prosecutor had been waiting for. He sensed the chance he was waiting for. For him it wasn't important to prove Will's innocence or to keep him out of jail. He was just interested in winning this case. And winning meant bringing Will down. And Will knew that. He saw the flinch around the corner of his eyes straight after Will answered that question.

"William Horton, can I ask you a personal question?"

Will wondered where this question would lead them. What could be more personal that a court hearing poking around in his past. Poking around in parts of his past he tried to kept hidden for so long. He felt like the people would open long healed wounds.

"Mr. Horton? Have you understood my question? Were you regretting this decision?"

The question pulled him out of his thoughts. Was he regretting this choice? What kind of dumb question was this?

"Yes, I did."

"Thank you, your honour."

EJ stood up, for a second he was surprised before realising that this was just stupid. He knew what EJ was going to ask him. There were aiming on why he had given up his rights? And that lead to him shooting EJ all those years ago.

"William. Would you please tell me, why you gave up your rights?"

Will nodded, trusting that EJ and Justin knew where they were headed, knowing what they were doing.

"That is kind of a long story. The first time Nick tried to get me to sign away my rights was in the hospital, stating my mom was just trouble and that she was responsible for Gaby getting in early labour. But I didn't want to give up my rights. That was when Nick lost it. When I was back together with Sonny … I mean Jackson, he visited Jackson at work and they got in a fight. When I addressed him why he was so determined for me to give up my rights he said it would be better for our daughter to have a 'normal' family, being raised away from us gays. And when I still wouldn't do it he blackmailed me."

EJ looked at me. Will saw the friendly brown eyes. He had changed over these past years. Back when he had been fourteen Will had hated him for forcing his mom to marry him. Trying to protect her, Will dealt with it the only way he knew how – being a Brady and a Horton he decided to shoot EJ. And even at that time he just meant to do serious harm to him, but never to kill him.

When Will explained the basis of the blackmailing he saw in all the wide open eyes. He had told them everything, not knowing what was going to happen to him. For the first time he spoke the truth. Just like coming out all those years ago he felt like this heavy weigh had just been lifted from his shoulders. He scanned the room for Sonny's eyes, found them looking at him full of pride and support. He smiled at the though of Sonny. The thought of him staying over all the crap Will pulled when they were together. In this moment nothing could be wrong. Will didn't care about the things said to him, the things that were going to happen to him. Right now he was filled with the thought of Sonny being there through the good, the bad, the worse and the worst of times. What he and Sonny had would last forever. And while his parents and grandparents had never succeeded in maintaining a working realationship he knew he had one with Sonny. He had one since 17 years. And he was proud of it. Nearly as proud as Sonny looked at him right this moment.

When I get out of here and when I am a free man again, I will …

"So William. You are saying you shot me 21 years ago and Lucas Horton went to prison for you."

Will nodded. It felt wrong. Talking about this with EJ, pretending EJ didn't know this. Pretending it was all knew for him.

"I am sorry to draw a line there."

The judge was interrupting EJ as well Will in their thoughts.

"I am a bit lost here. So you," the judge looked at Nick and Gaby, "filed a claim against the father of your child, saying he tried to hurt your child?"

The prosecutor stood up.

"My clients were aware of the situation but based on what the police officers saw..."

"I am going to stop you right there. You filed a claim against molesting, when you knew the was her father and you also knew he was homosexual and no interest what so ever in your daughter?"

The judge looked annoyed by Nick and Gaby. In this moment Will was so happy of the law system. The judge had the ability to speak him free of the accusations, and it didn't matter what the jury said. But the judge turned her had and looked at him.

"You are aware that we need to have another hearing concerning the shooting of you," She looked at EJ. "EJ DiMera." Both nodded, unable to speak one more word.

The judge looked down at her papers.

"I am going to do an unusual step, right here. But I am still in my boundaries, don't worry."

She said, seemingly fearing to get fought or sued by the prosecutor after the hearing.

"I am going to let the jury decide what they think, Mr Horton. After that we will have a little talk about the custody right. And while the jury is thinking about your situation, I want Miss Fallon to be brought in."

Will nodded and stood up. His knees were shaking, while he waited for the jury and the judge to leave. He couldn't believe what was just happened. Hope grew inside him, a lot of hope. He would see Sonny again, he would be able to live a long and happy live. And given the last words the judge said he even thought about getting custody. He knew that wasn't likely to happen but anyway. It would be all good. It's going to be fine. He said this to himself, hearing Sonny in his mind. How often did they swear this to each other.

"It's all going to be fine." He whispered this more to him than to anybody else as he was sitting back in his chair. But when he looked for Sonny's face in the crowed he saw how Sonny laughed. And with that he knew that Sonny had understood him anyway.

(I don't know anything about courts in the USA. All things happening and happened in this hearing are just fictional a lot is from films but they aren't always right. Just imagine it could go like this...)