Part 10: Where We End (1)
The Trial
Hi, gang! Back with another chapter! I've decided to split this chapter into 3 parts since it's very, very long. It will be sort of like the Orlando special, except more angsty lol and with a lot more going on. So, here we go! *hands out tissues to my readers* You might need these...
In order to formally relinquish my position as Bane's caretaker, I had to try for an appeal down at the courthouse. What should have taken weeks, possibly months, only took a few days. I suspect the recent events at the club had something to do with the speed at which I found myself seated in front of this stoic-faced judge and the grinning members of the jury.
That Wednesday, the trial took place.
My outfit feels abnormally stiff and itchy, like cardboard wrapped with barbed wire. I don't even know why I bothered wearing the tight-fitting black skirt suit. It arrived in the mail shortly after I got out of the hospital, delivered by the mailman from an anonymous party. It's like the person who sent this, whoever they are, knew that I didn't have anything to wear to court.
I pull at its prickly collar, trying to let my lungs get a little oxygen, then finally just give up. Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, I cross one leg over the other and begin the infuriating game of pretending that the world around me doesn't exist. I focus on the tip of my shiny, bouncing heel and trying to breathe properly. I decide to just settle for sucking air in between my dark red lips, sort of like a fish gasping for air.
A fish gasping for air…. That's a perfect way to describe how I'm feeling right now: a tiny fish out of water, desperately searching for a way to splash back into the warm, safe depths of my home. I want nothing more than to get this trial over with and to get away from all of the prying eyes and curious murmuring that fills Gotham City Courthouse.
Aren't lawyers supposed to make you feel safe? Well, mine isn't. My lawyer, Mr. Jackal, looks like a pair of scissors: pointed and sharp all over. His nose is long and sharp, his lips are thin and pointed, and his suit is jutting out in all sorts of weird directions. He hasn't said much to me since he was assigned to me besides that "we're going to win this thing, hands down". Right now, Mr. Jackal is busy combing his unnaturally black toupee and tossing the crowd behind us cocky smiles and thumbs-ups. At least he's feeling confident.
For a moment, my traitorous eyes leave my shoes and wander over to the other side of the room, where I see Bane and Detective Blake seated with their attorney. Blake is glaring at the judge. I can see it written all over his handsome face; he's trying to figure out exactly how he is going to win this thing and keep me as Bane's caretaker. I'm a little worried. Blake is notorious for getting things done in this city when everyone else is against him. I hate being pitted against him like this.
Then there's Bane. I can't even look at him for long. He's like me; looking nowhere and zoning the rest of the world out. Unlike me, he looks extremely calm, as though he knows something the rest of the court knows nothing about. His eyes rest solely on his large hands, which are laced together on top of the wooden table he and the detective are seated behind. No one and nothing else seems to matter to him.
Until his eyes suddenly shift over to meet mine.
It's as though lightning strikes. His black eyes, which rapidly turn darker as they stare at me, keep me locked in place without hope of an escape. My heart constricts, my throat turns dry, and I all but break my neck as I twist my body back around and resume staring at the tip of my black heel, which is bouncing even more fervently than before.
If I wasn't sure of it before, I'm sure of it now: Bane hates my guts. He hates me.
The sound of wood smashing against wood brings the active courtroom into near silence. I look up from my shoes to find the burly judge glaring down at us all from over the horn-rimmed glasses resting on his potato-shaped nose. I immediately sit up straighter, as does the rest of the courtroom, causing a small ruckus of shuffling suits and clacking footwear.
The Honorable Judge Vincent lays his wooden gavel aside and then folds one hand on top of the other. He leans forward in his high up chair and gives all of us a menacing look that demands each of our respect and attention. I'm sure he's even managed to snag Bane's attention and maybe even respect with that mean mug, but I'm not going to risk another look in his direction to find out if it has or not.
Once he's certain that we're all paying attention to him, the heavyset judge clears his throat and nods at the room.
"I understand that this is a very exciting and very important trial for you all, and frankly, despite my sour expression, I am excited to see the outcome of it as well. But as long as we have all of this noise and hullabaloo, nothing is ever going to get done! So if everyone here is ready to shut up, I am ready to begin the trial."
Well, that got everyone to be quiet. Everyone and everything besides my thudding heart, that is. The little thing feels like it's going to implode any second now. Any second now, Judge Vincent is going to look over at me and tell my heart to shut up.
Satisfied, the judge begins to get things rolling with one quick rap of his gavel. "Alright, folks, let's get this party started. Today, we have the trial of Valencia Paisley vs. The City of Gotham. Will the defending side begin with their opening statement, please?"
The lawyer on Blake's and Bane's side rises to his feet. Mr. Hyde is a big man, built like a linebacker, with a square, powerful jaw of Greek god proportions and eyes as black as onyx. In any other situation, he would have been a very intimidating man, but right now, he's little more than a bobbing Adam's apple, two fidgeting hands, and a pair of shaking captoe shoes. I don't know if he's scared because he's found himself in the unfortunate position of being wedged between Blake and Bane or if he's terrified by the menacing glares the members of the jury are giving him.
Either way, he clears his throat and begins to speak. "T-Today, we hope to convince you and the rest of the great city of Gotham that Miss Paisley was and remains the best choice for Bane's rehabilitation. She's helped the police department immensely through her sacrifices and proved time after time that she is more than capable of the job she's been tasked with."
My lawyer suddenly jumps to his feet and wags his finger around like it's a red flag. "And we, your Honor, would like to prove otherwise!" he just about yells. His nasaly voice makes my skin crawl. It sounds like he needs a desperate nose of that medicine that smooth-talking honeybee is always boasting about on television.
The judge quirks a brow in my direction. He pushes his glasses down and eyes me for a moment, which does nothing for my already frazzled nerves.
"You do realize that this means you will be defaming your own character, Miss Paisley?" he asks.
I swallow and nod. "I understand, sir."
The judge's wide lips form a frown but he doesn't push me any further. He sits back in his seat and rolls up his long, black sleeves.
"Well, this will be even more interesting than I first thought," he surmises. He swings his gavel in our direction. "Let's begin with your side and get down to business. Why should this young lady be removed from her position as Bane's guardian and rehabilitator? From what I hear, she's doing a good job."
My lawyer has been waiting all day for this moment, maybe his whole life. I'm sure this case will be the one to cement him into the history books.
He slicks his greasy hair back with one hand and then strides to the front of the courtroom. His bow-legged, prancing gait reminds me of those strutting vultures from Disney's Jungle Book. Like a pop star ready to perform, he spins and faces his audience with a sinister grin.
"Ladies and gentleman, seated before you today is a young woman known to the rest of the world as Valencia Paisley and to a select few as 'Rose'. Until a few months ago, she was a relatively unknown student at Gotham University, where she majors in Creative Writing. Now, you may know her as the woman brave enough to volunteer to be the caretaker of Bane, otherwise known as the menace of Gotham City. This girl put her life on the line to try and rehabilitate one of the most dangerous villains to walk these streets. Many would call her brave. Others would call her just plain naïve and stupid."
Audible gasps and some murmurs of agreement sound throughout the courtroom. I clench my hands into fists and bite my tongue. This is for the best. I need to keep telling myself that and remain silent.
Mr. Jackal continues on without batting an eye. "The police at GCPD all thought it would be a 'brilliant' idea to force this villain into the home of a lone young woman with absolutely no skills in defending herself and no family nearby. She had no choice in taking him in. You see, this was forced upon her. So, any of you who may hail her as a hero can stop that right now. She's no hero but a victim. She had no choice. If she did, she would've gotten rid of the brute right then and there and sent him to the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum where monsters like him really belong."
Remain silent, my butt.
I jump to my feet and slam my hands down on the table in front of me. Everyone's eyes jump from Mr. Jackal to me. I want to sit back down and awkwardly laugh off my outburst but my lawyer is asking for it right now and I'm just the one to give it to him.
This isn't what we agreed on when we went over what we were going to say in court. It's simple: I'm not fit for the job, I'm a college student, I work, I'm busy. Someone else needs to take up the torch. Even if what Mr. Jackal is saying will gain me sympathy and make me seem like the poor, innocent victim in all of this, most likely pulling Bane from my care anyway, I'm not going to let Bane be pegged as some sort of ferocious monster.
"I may not have had much of a choice in the beginning as to whether I was going to take Bane in or not, but then I realized that everyone deserves a second chance, no matter how big their mistake was. If that makes me a hero, I could care less. But everyone deserves a second shot at a better life, which is why I'm here today. We are not here to call Bane a monster but to get him to a place where he can get that second shot. And I hope you see now that I am very capable of defending myself, sir."
The room is silent after my words, besides from a few snickers that sound like they may or may not belong to a certain detective. Feeling a bit embarrassed but satisfied, I sit down and stare at the judge. It's his reaction I care about the most right now. He's the one who holds Bane's future in his hands so I want to appeal to him as much as possible. The jury is a lost cause, judging by the varying levels of hate painted across each of their faces. I don't look over at Bane but I can feel him watching me, too, more intensely than anyone else in the courtroom.
Mr. Jackal looks a little (maybe a lot) thrown off by my outburst. He fixes his sloppy toupee, which went a little askew during my rant, and sends me a malice-filled glare and snorts.
"Right, how silly of me. Miss Paisley has reminded me of our true mission in coming before you today: to get Bane out from under her care. I must admit, I find it whether curious that someone who seems to believe in a mass murderer so much is going this far to get him away from her. Just a thought."
Really? I didn't come here to defend myself against my own lawyer. I'm not even on the stand yet!
"Your Honor, our side would like to call Miss Paisley to the stand for further questioning," my lawyer announces.
Well, crap.
I slowly stand to my feet and make my way over to the seat near the judge, my sharp heels clicking every time they come down on the tile floor. Sitting up here with all of these eyes on me makes me feel like I'm finally facing down the city that has been so against me since the day I took Bane in. It's really not a good feeling. There's a sea of angry faces staring me down and I hate it. Up here, though, there's nowhere to hide. I'm a fly caught on fly paper.
I gulp down my fear and focus on Mr. Jackal. He gives me a slimy grin full of brown-stained teeth, a grin that forces his pinched eyes to squint up to the point that they almost appear to be closed.
"Would you call yourself a good girl, Miss Paisley?" he asks. His gloved finger taps out a rhythmic beat on his barely-there lips as he waits for an answer that I have not the slightest clue on how to word.
"What the hell kind of question is that?" I hear Blake murmur, just loud enough for those near him to hear.
I shift uncomfortably as the silence that follows my lawyer's words drag on.
"I…I don't really know what you mean," I finally say.
My lawyer steps closer. Judging by the flickering gleam in his eye, I'd say that he's got something up his sleeve. Which is a good thing, right? He's helping me to get Bane into a new and better situation, far away from a haphazard airhead like me.
"What I mean," my lawyer hisses, "is are you someone who follows the rules? Do you behave? Do you consider yourself to be a good person in general?"
What he's saying still sounds funny to me but I guess I'll just go ahead and try to answer as best as I can.
"I try to be…," I reply, even though I feel uncertain saying it. This feels like a trick question.
Another flash of that simpering grin and I know I must have said the right (wrong) thing. My lawyer folds his hands in front of his chest and peers down at me like a vulture who just spotted an animal making the horrible mistake of stepping out into a busy highway.
"Your Honor, do I have your permission to show a few photographs to the courtroom?" he asks.
Judge Vincent seems a little thrown off."…It's a little early in the trial, but if that's what you want to do, then go for it," the judge says after a pause. "I need to see them first however."
My lawyer's grin grows. "Of course."
His hand goes into his breastpocket and he fishes out what looks like a tiny remote control. He points it at the ceiling and mashes a button. A moment later, a huge projector screen lowers down. My eyes and everyone else's watch as the screen fully extends in front of us.
"The lights, if you will," my lawyer instructs, while waving towards two suited gentleman that are standing beside the doors of the courtroom. The men look confused for a moment but eventually fumble and bumble around until they turn off the lights in the room. The room instantly darkens, casting everyone in almost utter black. Curious murmurs fill the room as the lanky lawyer struts over to where a small, black projector is situated on a table. He pulls a few photos out of a manila folder and hands them to Judge Vincent. The judge takes the photos and thumbs through them. Whatever's captured on the photos is enough to make the judge's face turns even sourer. He grumbles something under his breath, shakes his head, and hands the photos back to Mr. Jackal.
"Go ahead and show them," he huffs. I don't miss the disappointed glance he throws in my direction. "I guess it's time we all see the true Valencia Paisley."
Mr. Jackal bows politely before spinning around, pointing his remote at the projector, and pressing a giant blue button.
Suddenly, the screen that lowered down in front of me is showing a giant, blown-up picture of me in the club, with Kole's hands all over me.
I'm in my red dress, which looked more like a red shirt at that point, and Kole's hand is lingering on my exposed thigh. His face is lost in my neck and black hair and I'm just standing there, grinning like an idiot.
I think I'm going to puke and then die from utter embarrassment.
Everyone's aflutter in the courtroom, and all conversations have my name smack dab in the center of them.
"Can you believe her?"
"We're supposed to trust someone like her?"
I shrink down into my seat and cover my face, wishing that I could somehow just disappear into thin air. Oh my gosh, everyone's seeing this. Bane, Blake, Bane... I just want to go home.
Mr. Jackal's voice breaks through my hopeful wishes and draws me out of the dark hole I pushed myself into.
"As you can see, citizens of Gotham, Miss Paisley is most certainly not a good girl. Do we want someone like this—," Another click of the button shows another equally embarrassing photo to the world, "—in charge of the rehabilitation of Gotham's biggest threat to date? She's unreliable! Unfit for the job!"
Somewhere inside of me, a little voice is calling out:
Caring for Bane isn't a job. It's what I want to do.
Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect.
Is what happened really my fault? Should I just sit here and let my dignity be verbally ripped to shreds?
And though the little voice is loud and makes a lot of sense and I can feel my lips parting to let me really speak my mind… I don't repeat its words. My tongue is tied into several knots by the shame brought on by the photos and the judgmental glares of the court. This is for the best. I will continue to tell myself that.
After the "photo shoot," Mr. Hyde's attempt to turn things in Blake's favor fall on deaf ears. Not even an hour into the trial, Judge Vincent is banging his gavel down and relieving me of my position as Bane's caretaker.
I leave the loud courtroom in a daze, urged by the triumphant cheers of the jury and rough arms that belong to Mr. Jackal. The smug look on Mr. Jackal's face makes me feel sick to my stomach but I keep my head bowed and allow him to guide me through the courthouse as we make our way towards the exit. The outcome is what I wanted-Bane will be being placed into someone else's care. I could tell that Mr. Jackal was trying to get him sent to Arkham, but at least I was able to shoot that down, even at the cost of my own dignity and pretty much every chance I'll ever have at a normal life.
At least Bane will have a chance at one.
Suddenly, a crowd of journalists from newspapers, tabloids, TV stations, and the like, wash over us in a tidal wave of cameras and questions. There has to be at least fifty reporters surrounding me, each of them shouting questions at me and shoving their mics towards my face.
Their questions blend together into one big ball of gibberish, but one word stand out loud and clear: Bane. Luckily, my lawyer isn't one who's shy of the spotlight, so he happily starts answering questions in my place, like a celebrity on a late night talk show.
I stand back a little bit, trying to keep my face blocked by lowering my head and raising my shoulder. The last place I want to be is in another photo. I just want to go back to my apartment and curl up in a ball. Bane won't be there to talk to.
He won't ever be in my apartment again, will he...?
It is right then that somebody grabs my forearm and yanks me behind one of the pillars, out of sight. My arm is twisted behind my back, forcing me to arch forward because of the excruciating pain. My attacker is situated behind me so I can't see him, but judging by the heavy breathing beside my ear and mechanical whirring noises, I think I already know who it is.
"Let me go," I growl.
A deep breath, more whirring. "A word, if you will, Miss Rose," comes Bane's gritty response. "I promise not to take up too much of your precious time. I know you're a celebrity now, after all."
I sigh. There's no way to put off this conversation. As much as I wanted to avoid speaking to Bane (and everyone else in the world) ever again, I guess it was all just a hopeful dream.
"I don't have anything to say to you," I say, letting some of the venom slip out of my voice. I don't have any right to pretend that I'm angry at him, but it will be easier to break off our friendship if I continue playing the role of the carefree party girl half of Gotham thinks me to be. If I keep pretending like I don't care about any of this, about him, maybe it will make it less painful.
"Why are you doing this?" Bane asks. "Tell me and I will believe you."
"Leave me alone, Bane," I mutter. "I just want to go home and get away from all of this." I try to tug away from him but his grip on my arm only tightens.
"First, I would like my answer."
When I don't speak, Bane whips me around and slams me back against the stone pillar. I'm forced to stare up into Bane's angry face. I want to look away but that hurt look on his face keeps my eyes glued. His eyes are two slits filled to the brim with outrage and confusion. I can tell he's trying his best to keep his cool but his façade is slipping. Anger is oozing out of him like a filled cracked jar. His heavy hands are clamped down over my shoulders like bear traps, which means there is no escape from this conversation.
My chest is heaving as I try to hold back tears but I can feel them burning away at the corners of my eyes, the little, traitorous things. I whip my head to the side in a futile attempt to keep my tears hidden.
"Rose," Bane murmurs.
I squeeze my eyes even tighter.
He inhales, long and deep, before breathing out my name in one short breath, "Valencia."
Fudge. If there weren't tears before, they've arrived now. I drop my chin to my chest and shake my head back and forth. Tears are falling down my face like waterfalls. I can't do this with him! I didn't think today was going to be this hard!
"You saw the pictures, Bane!" I shout. Remembering that we're in hiding and I don't want the paparazzi to witness our break-up or…or whatever you want to call it, I lower my voice and continue. I don't want to say what comes out of my mouth next but I have to. I want him to forget about me and look forward.
"Aren't you sick of me? I can't do anything right. All I keep doing is getting in the way of everything and making things harder for everyone else around me. And...and you're getting in my way! In the way of my life! I just want to be a normal college student and have fun! I'm tired of being in the limelight because of you! I want to... to party and have fun and live a normal life... And a normal life doesn't include you, Bane."
Something flashes across Bane's eyes then. His solid brown eyes widen, only for a moment, before slowly narrowing back into two, dark slits. I feel his grip on my shoulders loosen so I quickly pull away from him and hurry down the steps to where my lawyer is waiting with the car. Paparazzi are snapping pictures and asking questions but I ignore them all. I dive into the backseat of the dark sedan and quickly shut the door behind me. As my lawyer, who is still busy gloating over his victory to my uncaring ears, pulls away from the courthouse, I spare one last look at Bane.
He hasn't moved from our spot next to the pillar. His eyes are on the car, but the change that's come over those eyes is tremendous. Every ounce of care of kindness that I thought they held within them is gone. They are dark and empty now, filled with a sort of spiteful glee.
Standing up there, on the high, stone steps of the Gotham Courthouse, he looks just like the man who destroyed Gotham not even a year ago.
*Cerulean: *slaps Rose upside her head* There, I've done it for you all, lol, so no need to do so in the comments unless you truly must!
How many of you think Rose is making the wrong decision in giving up her role as Bane's caretaker? How many of you think she's doing the right thing in putting him in the hands of someone else who is more capable of the job than she is?
I'm looking forward to your reviews! I always look back at them to inspire me to come back to this story when I have time! :D AND OVER FIFTY FAVES AND FOLLOWS for B & R?! How awesome are you guys?!)
To those who reviewed the last chapter...
Guest: Why, thank you! I love hearing ppl say that they like Bane and my OC! :)
Vertigo Venom: Thanks, love!
: I noticed the same thing! I love me some dark fics every once in a while but I wanted to throw something a little more light-hearted into the fandom :) And I am sooo glad you're rooting for them! :D Rose sends her love!
Guest: I'm back! :D Did you miss me?
hailiedakota: Sorry but Rose is on a mission...to destroy the shippers' hopes and dreams D:
Squeegee Beckinhime: Thank you so much! :)
haha95: Well, here it is! :)
LoveBane: Bane's a little ticked right now but we'll see a little bit more of how he's handling their "break-up" in the next chapters :o The Joker is my favorite too! I wanted to do a full fanfic for him but he's so difficult to write for! I've seen some people do his character spot-on but I'm afraid that I will fall short... So I gave him a role in this story! And he will be back, I promise lol! :)
Jellytaco: Pause... I love your username! Haha, wow you're amazingly sweet and hilarious! Thank you so much! I'm glad you gave my fanfic a try! Rose can't see her own worth (which is one of her many character flaws lol) and it's one of the things holding her back from reaching her true potential, which is something Bane's already picked up on. And the more rambling the better! I love long reviews! :D To answer your questions... A) Her father passed away, which is something she doesn't really like to talk about but will be mentioned further into the story, B) It's a book but I do love the idea of this being her fantasy! Being lonely in college and something exciting happening to her, like Bane dropping into her life! Stop, you're making my writer senses tingle lol xP Next chapter is going to talk a bit about her book so stay tuned!
Anna10473: Thank you! I love writing for the Joker so I'm glad you liked the way I wrote his character :) He'll be back!
Guest: Lol! :D U might be even madder now... o.o;
RJ: Lol! Bane and Rose had to go their separate ways... for now :) *crying* I think that Kole punching bag will be even more useful after this chapter lol :P Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Marie: Thank you, ma'am! :)
harleyquinn87: Harley! I'm such a big fan! *faint* Lol, Mistah J will definitely be back so expect to see him causing more mischief and mayhem in later chapters :)
oXxgeorgiaxXo: Sorry, I know the wait was pretty long! I try to balance writing fanfic with original fiction as much as possible but sometimes fanfic has to be put on the backburners (sadly;-;) Hope this chapter was worth the wait!
Next time, we have a depressed Rose, a repenting Kole, and the reveal of Bane's new caretaker! Get ready for a familiar face in part 2 of Where We End: The New Rose! (let's see how many people can guess who his new caretaker will be ;D)