Episode 14 "Prosecution"

Chapter 7 (Conclusion)

The first thing that caught Emily's attention when she returned home from visiting her father was the set of suitcases perched at the foot of the stairs, signaling her immediately that something was wrong. She looked around, noticing the eerie silence in the Manor, and her inclination was to call out for Daniel, but a noise from the upstairs signaled that he was in her bedroom and would likely not hear. She nervously closed the door behind her and made her way up the stairwell, anxious of what she was about to stumble into when she got into the room.

Once she reached the doorway she saw Daniel's figure staring out over the balcony, right where they had awoke together only days prior, and her heart sank a bit, seeing he was deep in thought. "Daniel?" she called out to him softly, hoping he would turn to face her, but he stared straight ahead, and with angst Emily made her way over to the balcony, pausing when she was but a few paces behind him.

"Daniel, what's wrong?" she asked, looking around the room for some clue as to why he would be noticeably detached from her, why his bags were packed at the foot of the stairs, why he was strangely silent for the past few seconds when she knew he heard her come in.

He didn't move, only shifted slightly, leaning over the railing of the balcony to look in the direction of her father's beach house, as he had done so many times before, particularly when he was released on house arrest and had to watch her from afar. The trigger of those uneasy memories echoed the emotions he was feeling at the moment, and rather than answer her question outright, he chose to run a parallel to that time instead. "You know, right before I was on trial for murder," he began, and Emily sighed as she anticipated the recollection coming next. "It was in this spot that I stood and watched as Jack Porter came and went from your house…I remember feeling so betrayed… so insecure… so angry with myself for trusting you."

Emily sighed and folded her arms in acceptance of the scolding that no doubt awaited her, and walked over to stand beside him as he recounted moments from the past, letting him continue.

"But despite all that," he digressed. "You know what the worst part was? It wasn't the fact that you had lied to me… or that you wanted to end things that bothered me the most." He turned ever so slightly so connect eyes with Emily and she looked back in silence. "It was admitting to myself that my mother was right. That was the part I hated. I hated it because I desperately wanted to prove her wrong."

Emily closed her eyes momentarily and gazed back towards the beach house in partial understanding. "What did she say to you?" she asked quietly, attributing his reflection to the only logical thing that could explain it – a recent conversation with Victoria.

Daniel half-chuckled. "I haven't spoken to her since she was arrested," he clarified. "But Margaux called me today. She told me the reason why David won't testify against my mother," he began.

"Because he murdered Conrad," Emily admitted solemnly, finishing the sentence for him. Daniel sensed in her an eagerness not to prolong things and she turned again to face him. "Yes, it's true."

Daniel kept his eyes on her. "How could you let me find out like this?" She sighed in response, tilting her head to look downwards while he continued to prod her. "After everything we've been through, how do I know I can even trust you?" He continued, squinting his eyes while he emphasized the word 'trust'.

"Daniel—" Emily breathed, searching for a way to explain it, but he still had more to vent.

"Emily, I was played like a fool before, I'm not going to let it happen again—" he asserted, leveling a finger in her direction while she tried again to soothe him.

"No one is playing you, Daniel," she interjected, growing a bit exasperated with the same old conversations. "I've done nothing but tell you the truth ever since that day you confronted me in the elevator—"

"Which you wouldn't have done, if I hadn't found out first—" Daniel alleged, getting a bit worked up himself.

"How can you say that after the past few days we've spent together?" Emily questioned him, rising to stand up straight to make her argument. "I've done nothing but let you in, I gave you my entire life's journey," she continued, gesturing to the Infinity Box that she observed was sitting on her bed when she entered the room.

"Yeah, all things that made you gain my trust," Daniel summarized, also rising to match her stance. "Just like the picture you showed me of your family, when I was ready to call the wedding off… or the sonogram you gave me when I was ready to end things because of Sara," he enumerated, his voice raising.

Emily looked down in slight embarrassment before defending her actions. "Daniel, I've told you time and again how wrong it was for me to have done that to you," she responded, softening. "I can't undo any of the pain I've caused. But I have been completely honest with you ever since you found out the truth, and I told you Margaux and your mother had information they were holding over our heads—"

"Yeah, you just conveniently left out the fact that it was my father's murder," Daniel interrupted.

"I was going to tell you, Daniel—" she replied sincerely, but he was undeterred.

"But you didn't," he corrected her, shaking his head in amazement. "And you know what the crazy thing is, Em? I honestly could care less who was responsible!" he exclaimed, widening his eyes and gesturing in an incredulous expression. "My father was a monster, I've accepted it. He got what he deserved. My mother deserves to rot in prison. They ruined other people's lives and there's no excuse for it." Daniel held Emily's attention and she watched him act out his feelings, waiting for him to finish. "But what does bother me, is the fact that throughout this entire thing, this—this fanatic mission you have to atone for their actions and defend your father, you seem to have lost any conception for what's right and what's wrong—and that is what scares me."

He paused, allowing Emily a moment to digest what he was saying. His words were undeniably clear and his point was not without a sound basis. For all his parents had done wrong, he could not see how it justified Emily's defense of her father, who in his mind had abandoned morale to level out his own revenge for their actions. To a degree he understood the course Emily had taken to uproot his enemies, but it was clear to him that they both had gone off track in their journey and perhaps seemed no longer deserving of the justice they earned. At this point it was fair game – each side was initiating fire at the other and he had no desire to become a pawn in whatever new schemes emerged.

He took a breath and continued. "How do I know… how can I be sure…that the next move you make won't result in another casualty from this war?" he alleged. "As much as I disagree with her defense of my mother, Margaux is still having my child. How do I know it won't be her next…Or both of them?" He exhaled, his concerns finally surfacing.

"Daniel – I swear, I would never hurt either of them," Emily promised genuinely, and she honestly meant it, her heart searing in pity at how helpless he must have been feeling to even go there. But in his defense, she had done this – juxtaposed him between worlds because of the lies from the past, despite her efforts to expose him to the truth in the present. He was right – as long as she continued to war with his mother for the same reasons her mission began, the ones she loved had something to lose, and what's more – he could never be sure that she was ever truly being honest with him. After finding out such a weighty revelation in the light of a trial that was resuming the following day, she could not in good faith blame him for questioning her motives. Both she and Victoria were guilty as charged in that regard, even if Emily felt personally justified for doing so to protect her father. It was time that the façade come to an end, and only then would the air be cleared and both sides declare a cease-fire. But until that moment, Daniel would always wonder if Emily planned to continue with her actions unscathed, and not accept the consequences of what she had done.

He sighed at her assurance, one that he knew she could not guarantee, and closed his eyes slowly before looking back up at her with uncertainty. "I know you wouldn't do it willingly – but I can't afford to stay around to find out. This isn't just about me…"

"I'm doing everything I can to ensure their safety," Emily continued, over-talking his concerns and drawing towards him to close the gap between them. But Daniel would not be consoled, and he looked away even as she tried to comfort him with her hands on his collarbone. "I took your advice," she shared, turning his face to look at her. "I spoke to my father, and this will all be over soon. I promise you."

Daniel just shook his head, looking at her, wishing he could believe her. "The one thing about truth, Em? Is once it's out… you can't hide from it," he stated plainly, and her eyes pleaded with him in protest. He glanced towards her room. "I read everything in the box you gave me. And I honestly feel for everything you went through…I mean that. But what I saw only made it clear to me. That for you—for Amanda Clarke? This will never be over."

Daniel gently cupped Emily's chin and placed what felt like a final kiss on her lips before moving away from her to walk back into the bedroom, leaving her standing on the balcony in desertion.

"Daniel…" she called out to him, turning around to face him but standing in place. But he did not stop, only paused to lift his jacket from where it lay beside the box on her bed and walked towards the doorway. He paused once before disappearing out of it, looking back at her in sadness and Emily noticed for the first time how much she had disappointed him, and how much it was breaking his heart to have to tear himself away from her. A tear rolled down her cheek as she called out to him again, hoping fervently that his pause meant he had changed his mind. But instead, the only reply he gave her before leaving harrowed like a sharp knife piercing into her heart, turning it on its side in desperation…

"Goodbye, Em."

SCENE

"Signed… sealed… and," Nolan commentated, as he scribbled his signature on the last of the pages spread out on the kitchen counter in front of him. "Delivered." He finished the last and slid them across the table to where Louise stood, watching as he signed away the last rights to their union, bringing their brief marriage to an unexpected end.

"Thank you, darlin'," she expressed sincerely, and immediately wrapped him in a warm hug, appreciative of his cooperation with her wishes.

It was morning, and the trial was about to commence in less than an hour, but not before Louise made certain that she and Nolan made peace, in support of Jack's earnest suggestion the day before. She had approached him the previous night to clear the air, and offered him her forgiveness, to which he continued to apologize for his unfair accusations. It was in that humble moment that she openly discussed her desire to end the charade of marriage they were purporting, recognizing that they both still had gained the other as a dear friend and would continue to remain close despite no longer needing the nuptials to protect her fortune and his reputation. Thankfully, Nolan was more than understanding and he only wished to see her happy in the end, taking responsibility for his falling a bit short in that regard in recent days.

"Shall we celebrate?" Nolan proposed, reaching over to hand Louise a flute of champagne mimosa while raising his own. "We entered as man and wife, we leave—as friends," he toasted, clinking his glass against Louise's.

"To the Wonder Twins," she added in reply before they both took a sip.

Nolan finished first and continued to offer more apologies from the night before, drink still in hand. "Again, I can't emphasize enough how sorry I am for everything—my first practice at a husband left much to be desired," he admitted, glancing down at the papers. "And please don't look at these as an eviction notice – you are welcome to stay here as long as you need."

"Aw, I appreciate that. And please stop apologizin' - it's in the past," Louise insisted, at peace and eager to move beyond both of their shortcomings. "You're better for the next special someone…whoever that ends up being," she added, optimistic.

"Eh, no one will ever compare to my first wife though," he countered, with a smirk. "She was a diamond in the rough."

"Ugh, a diamond who's about to be late," she sighed, glancing at the time before setting her glass down on the counter. She slid the papers together and evened them twice on the tabletop before putting them into her large handbag and preparing to leave. "I'll drop these off after I get done watching Carl today, so we shouldn't have to wait long before its official."

"Thanks, doll," Nolan replied, a slightly sad look coming over his face as he watched Louise scurry to gather her things. "Hey, would you be open to one last outing as uh…as man and wife?" he called out to her when she was a few feet closer to the door.

"What'd you have in mind?" she asked curiously, turning to look back over her shoulder.

Nolan half-shrugged, growing serious for a moment. "I mean, I know it's going be a pretty heavily stocked family affair but… I'd really like to be by your side when you go back to Savannah for the services? If you'll have me, that is," he offered.

A grateful smile crept over Louise's face and she nodded in acceptance. "That would really be kind of you, Nolan… Thank you."

He raised his glass slightly, obliged to be of support and watched as she turned to leave, noticing how much more casual her attire had become of late. He grinned in observation, attributing her sudden change to the time she was spending with Jack, and felt an inner sense of contentment in at least being responsible for helping her find someone good for her, if he could not fill the role himself.

Shortly following her departure came the arrival of Emily, and his keen intuition immediately sensed a change in her mood when she entered, decked from head to toe in all black, inclusive of dark shades and a smart sheath dress for their court attendance that morning.

"Ah… Revengers—Assemble," he quipped, giving her the once over as she entered the kitchen area. "Did I…miss a funeral?" he noted as she removed her shades and took hold of his half-drunken flute on the countertop, downing the last of its contents. Nolan watched as she finished it off and then made a face while looking at the empty glass.

"Really, Nolan?" she quizzed him instead, tasting the alcohol. "It's 8 a.m."

"Uh, we were celebrating," he clarified, sporting a slight attitude in his tone. "Louise and I have decided to dissolve our nuptials in favor of being just friends and allowing each other the chance to have a real family." He looked down a bit sheepishly as he filled her in on the part he was less proud of that instigated the whole thing. "I have my thanatophobia and sensitivity complex –four years in the making- to thank for setting the entire thing in motion but… thankfully Louise forgave me," he explained, to no response from Emily. He continued to watch her cool demeanor, observing as she nodded stiffly and appeared to stare out into space. "From the looks of it, you could use a little celebrating yourself…" he added. "Ems, what's going on?"

She finally snapped out of her trance. "Sorry, it's just… a lot on my mind," she answered, to a knowing look from Nolan. She glanced at him and then decided to continue before he forced it out of her. "Daniel left last night."

Nolan furrowed his brow and made a slightly confused face. "As in…you sold the Manor?"

"As in… we're not seeing each other anymore," Emily clarified, bowing her head with a pained look.

"Um…run that back again, MC?" Nolan shrunk back in shock before leaning forward to verify what he just heard. "Because I thought you just said you weren't seeing each other anymore, which would imply that you were seeing each other in the first pl—"

Emily cut him off before he could dissect her lack of confiding in him any further. "It only began a week ago," she started, hoping to settle him down. She reflected on their reunion, and brief as it had been she couldn't deny she thought it was the new beginning of something special and something real. "He came to me in honesty—he wanted to rectify everything from the past… and give us another chance."

"And you accepted?" Nolan asked, more like a statement but wishing to hear it from Emily herself.

"I care about him," she admitted, shrugging as she looked off into space again. "But," she shifted focus as she began retelling the more recent of events. "Despite my attempts to start over and be truthful with him about everything… I made the mistake of leaving a few important details out."

"Ugh," Nolan closed his eyes in exasperation. "Please tell me he does not know about David killing Conrad, 'Team Victoria' does not need any more shareholders right now…"

"He's not interested in defending her," Emily confirmed Nolan's suspicions with her response while still showing faith in Daniel's reaction to the news. She pursed her lips as she described his stance. "He doesn't want any part of it. If anything, he's disappointed in me for continuing this war."

"Uh… tardy to the party, Danny," Nolan defended her, failing to understand. "If he knows the truth about you, he should understand why this war is going on."

"That's just it," Emily responded, grappling with the first glimpse of shame that she had ever experienced in her entire life. "It doesn't have to continue." She glanced back at Nolan's look of bewilderment to explain what she meant. "I cleared my father's name. And now he lives, while Conrad is dead, at his hands. He rendered his justice, without judgment. The more I continue to go after Victoria, the more I jeopardize everything we've accomplished, creating more enemies along the way – possibly resulting in more losses before this is all over."

"You're forgetting something, Ems," Nolan pointed out. "Conrad was responsible for more than just your father's downfall – he has destroyed countless others—"

"Yes, I know that; so does Daniel," Emily countered, growing impatient. "But now that Victoria has allied with Margaux, that information means nothing – they will come after my father with everything that they've got, and as soon as I retaliate they will go after everyone that I care about." Emily sighed realizing how much she had at stake to lose. "Jack is already at risk of perjuring himself on the stand today, and what am I supposed to do if Margaux corners him? Go after her too?"

"She's messing with the wrong Revenger," Nolan contended, with a sneer. "The b**** has it coming…"

Emily sighed, pacing as she normally did when her plans were in danger of being thwarted. "That's exactly what Daniel is worried about, Nolan – she's still the mother of his child," she chided him.

"Who, if she took a break from playing 'Murder She Wrote', would praise David for eliminating the monster who shredded her father into pieces by pushing him into a helicopter blade," Nolan observed, becoming more and more exasperated at the endless trail of ignorance that seemed to follow Victoria's followers like a shadow.

"It's too late to try to appease Margaux with that," Emily overrode his mention of the detail. "She knows that we're desperate – she's the one who told Daniel about what really happened to Conrad."

Nolan rolled his eyes. "Cheap shot," he grunted, looking over at Emily who again rested her hands on the countertop and was staring intently, clearly mulling over what their only options left were. Despite her consistent ability to maintain focus, he knew that Margaux's revelation to Daniel had to have triggered their breakup and despite it being a fresh reunion, he knew how much she cared for him. "Hey… you alright?" he asked, genuinely, addressing her feelings for the first time.

"I will be," she nodded, rearing her firm exterior as she was trained to.

Nolan sighed in finality, glancing at the timepiece that signaled their departure to the courthouse was imminent. "Look… I know how you're feeling right now. I don't want us to lose, not when we're this close to the end," he looked over at her for an answer. "Jack takes the stand in half an hour… what are we going to do?"

Emily breathed slowly, looking over to her friend with a sense of clarity and indignation that he had never quite seen come over her face.

"There's only one thing that can bring a stop to this."

SCENE

When Judge Waters entered the courtroom, the audience appeared more packed than usual. Both the sides for the defense and the prosecution were full to capacity, and while Margaux appeared confident with Victoria by her side, Stevie also appeared fully poised as she stood at attention for the prosecution. Jack and David had a diagonal view of her from the seating behind the defense and both looked up as Nolan made his way in before the bailiff finally closed the doors, and stood at the back rather than try to scavenger a seat. David glanced nervously around for Emily but did not see her follow behind him and while he looked over for Jack's reaction, he could see his would-be son-in-law also appeared anxious, though he couldn't be sure which worried him more – Emily not being there or the testimony he was about to give.

The time to contemplate that was short, as Judge Waters immediately got to the business at hand, and sounded her gavel to signal all to take their seats. Within seconds she was recalling the previous announcement she made at the last commencement of the trial proceedings, when Stevie rose from behind the bench and suddenly approached.

"Your Honor, permission to approach the bench?" she asked, and Judge Waters allowed it. Margaux and Victoria looked on curiously as Stevie whispered briefly to her and David took advantage of the aside to whisper quietly to Jack.

"Have you seen Emily?" he asked, using her preferred name not only for Jack's sake, but also so as not to attract attention from those sitting near him.

"No, I thought she'd be with Nolan," Jack replied, growing concerned. His attention was short-lived as the Judge again silenced the room with her gavel to make an announcement.

"Good Morning, Counselors," she addressed both Margaux and Stevie, who had returned to the prosecution side to await her instruction. "Before today's session begins I have received notice from the prosecution to call a rebuttal witness in response to the testimony made by Mr. David Clarke during our last session. The witness has come forward to call into question the reliability of testimony and under such circumstances I will allow the witness to take the stand prior to the defense's questioning of Jack Porter."

"But your Honor-!" Margaux immediately exclaimed, jumping to her feet in protest.

"That is my ruling," Judge Waters cut her short, glaring pointedly in her direction, and Margaux backed off, breathing heavily in distress as she looked over at Stevie, and then to comfort Victoria beside her, who also seemed rattled at the sudden change. "Counsel for the Prosecution?" Judge Waters addressed Stevie.

"Yes, your Honor?"

"I will allow this rebuttal witness to take the stand under the assumption that you will allow the defense lee way with their own questioning as they have not had a chance to depose the witness. Is that understood?"

"Understood, your Honor," Stevie confirmed, and with the slightest hint of guile, she sneered in Victoria's direction before uttering the next few words in the direction of the jury. "For the benefit of all present, the Prosecution calls to the stand a rebuttal witness, who will state her name for the court upon entry—Bailiff?" she ordered.

The doors to Suffolk County Courthouse swung open and Emily entered, dressed impeccably in all black, her hair neatly tied off of her face in a bun and shades covering her eyes. She removed her sunglasses and walked past the familiar faces of Nolan and her father in the audience, and lastly Jack who was rising to his feet in protest as she neared him. She paused only briefly to meet eyes with him, but continued forward, approaching the bailiff, who was prepared to swear her in as a witness.

"Raise your right hand," the bailiff commanded her, to which she complied, placing her left on the book he had extended. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do," Emily responded with little hesitation, her eyes narrowing a bit.

"State your name for the prosecution, please," the bailiff continued, and nearby a stenographer leaned forward in anticipation.

Parting her lips, Emily took a deep breath and finally announced: "Amanda Clarke."

A unanimous gasp was heard throughout the courthouse as already curious onlookers rose to their feet and reporters flashed cameras in the background. Judge Waters immediately slammed her gavel down, yelling "Order! Order!" Emily remained ignorant of the mayhem around her as she stepped forward and took a seat on the witness stand, holding her head high to face the rest of the courtroom…

END OF EPISODE

Author's Note: And so the TRUTH IS OUT… again! And with it, this episode ends, Revengers! I did my best to follow the show's formula of completing the flash forward from the beginning with seamless transition at the very end of the story. Hope you like a bit of a cliffhanger! ;) To see where Emily's revelation takes us next and to find out if her and Daniel will be able to reconcile again, PLEASE stay tuned for the next installment "Exposure" which will be my version of the events that follow. I'm promising a really good part 2 of this segment :) I hope you enjoyed and please sound off in the comments on what you liked and what you look forward to! Your reviews mean so much to me! I will be posting another Author's Note soon with a link to the new story and a summary for your fanfic appetite. Thanks again as always! ~Love and Reven8e!~ MothToANewFlame