A/N: Almost done with the story! Hang in there folks.
*:*Waiting:*:
Witness after witness was called to the stands, all of them sharing the similar story of Goten, Bra, Valese, Tundra, and another female disappearing during the new year hour. The witnesses all stated that they were inebriated during the events, so the judge only took their stories with a grain of salt.
Valese introduced her tearful story to the court, having less confidence now that her leader, Bulma, hadn't even arrived yet.
It was now time for her to be cross-examined by the defendant. Goten's relentless attorneys, whom had stopped at nothing to get whatever they could to build his case, felt confident in their findings.
"Miss Karuben, you have shared with us that you have had a previous relationship with Mr. Son, and you have described him as being abusive, physically and verbally, and even capable of committing such a heinous crime that brings us all together today. A character canvas of many of the university's students and faculty claimed that he could never do such a thing. A bright kid, everyone's best friend, just a couple descriptions of Mr. Son that have come up in our interviews. I agree, sometimes a person can deceive the public eye and pull a Jekyl and Hide behind closed doors. But let me show you all something that does not deceive the public eye."
His associate handed him a manilla envelope, where he pulled out copies of documents for he and the judge. "Allow me to give you a general background. Miss Karuben states that she and Miss Briefs were drugged, sexually assaulted, then had pictures and text messages from my defendant the next morning. Phone records indicate that the text messages were sent at approximately 1233am. After Miss Karuben, accompanied by two other females, were seen leaving the house with Miss Karuben in tears. Other guests had found miss Bra Briefs and Goten Son passed out on the bathroom floor. Miss Bra Briefs was examined with a rape kit the next morning which was found to be negative. My defendant, Mr. Son, refused to be tested due to his sole concern for Miss Briefs. A couple of red flags now raised some questions.
Bra, whom was too drugged to be conscious, and Valese, whom was able to walk away from the scene and never got tested. How were those text messages sent at 1233 am if our defendant was unconscious as well? Who is this mysterious fourth female that was with Valese, Bra, and Tundra? And finally, I bring you a striking piece of information: my client, Mr. Goten son was indeed drugged the night that the events occurred. With a follicle examination, I have the results of a positive Rohypnol test. THIS is why my client was unable to answer many questions of the events that night. It wasn't because he was trying to cover up his acts, it was because Mr. Goten Son was the victim in this crime. No rape took place. Explicit photos and text messages at the time of his unconscious state were sent by somebody else. Notice in the photos, the suspect made sure not to show a full-frontal view of his face, surely to cover up his unconscious state.
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the closing evidence of my case. Bailiff." He motioned for the bailiff to stride to the entrance of the room and open the large double doors. The audience gasped. Bra entered the room, arm in arm with none other than Mattis. "Your honor, may I?"
"You may approach the bench." The judge granted Mr. Koa his witness.
"Ladies and Gentleman, the fourth female that has not been identified by the plaintiff is seated here before you. A witness to the crime." The crowd gasped once more. Bra took the nearest seat in the aisle, which was towards the back of the room since the front was saturated with an audience, including her friends and family.
Pan tugged at Trunks' sleeve, a mixture of tears and beads of sweat cascading down her face. She hated this trial, they all did. She wanted nothing more than to see her uncle walk out of this court room, back to his old life, which would never be the same.
Trunks peered over at her in response to her tug. Her face was flushed, cringing in pain with her free hand on her extended belly. "Pan, what's wrong?!" He whispered loudly, drawing attention from nearby spectators. Gohan, Goku and Chichi turned their attention to the sudden onset of Pan's pain.
"Trunks, take her to the hospital." Gohan instructed him firmly. He knew they would only allow one person in the emergency room until the patient is stabilized. As much as he hated it, he permitted Trunks to be at her side.
"Of course. Stay here, I'll keep you posted." Trunks knew Gohan, Goku and Chichi would be torn between their son's trial and Pan's painful outburst, so he made it easier on them by deciding for them.
"Pan!" Bra jumped to her feet as Trunks escorted her down the aisle to exit the courtroom. She supported Pan opposite of Trunks.
"Bra, help me get her to the truck-" Suddenly, they both strained at Pan's dead weight. Her legs had given out, she was unconscious.
"I'm calling 911! Make sure she's breathing!" Bra ran outside, phone to her ear, scanning the area for a nearby ambulance. It was a courthouse, there was usually one parked nearby for any chaos that might break out. After giving their location and explaining what had happened, the van had already pulled up.
The paramedics rushed to her side, bumping Trunks out of the way as they performed a quick assessment and loaded her onto the gurney. Trunks accepted the offer to ride along with them, shouting back to Bra to stay there at the courthouse.
Bra was torn. Even with her brother's order, she didn't know where she should be. Her memory of Mattis quickly crossed her mind. She was finally able to convince her to testify. If this didn't prove Goten's case... she couldn't bare to consider a guilty verdict. She entered the court room once again, listening in as Mattis had just finished up what she had witnessed and how she was threatened if she told anybody. The jurors, as well as the judge, scanned the faces of Goten, Valese, and Tundra, all considering both angles of this case, and adjusting their judgment with this new witness.
Goten's eyes briefly met with Mattis'. Hers held guilt while his held some gratefulness. Valese and Tundra were struck with hear, subtly awaiting Bulma's arrival. They had hoped she would make an entrance as Bra did.
"Both cases have been presented. Jurors, you may now exit the room for your verdict." The verdict. This could last from minutes to hours. Everybody checked their phones to see if Trunks had sent them an update. Nothing.
Now they tried to decide whom should go where. Gohan immediately stood and decided for himself. Videl was already enduring an operation. He was going to be by his daughter's side as much as he could, even if the waiting room was as close as he could get.
The room began to clear as spectators took this opportunity for a bathroom break. On the opposite corner of the room, Goku observed a tearful Bra being comforted by her father. As Goten was taken out of the room until the verdict, Bra, with Vegeta in tow, approached the Son family.
"I had to sit on that side, with the restraining order and all..."
"Bra, honey, you don't need to explain anything. You just may have saved him with that girl you brought in." Chichi embraced her.
Vegeta and Goku narrowed their eyes at each other, Goku now unsure of Vegeta's role in this, and why it even began in the first place. As the women talked amongst themselves, it was only the two of them on the outskirts.
"I think of him as one of my own, you know." Goku's furrowed brows eased at Vegeta's words. "I don't know what's going on, but I do know that Bulma has a role in it. As much as I want to protect her, she's not the one I fell in love with anymore. I'm protecting a monster." His eyes avoided Goku's as he poured his heart out.
He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We're family, Vegeta. We'll get you through it." He dropped his arm as Vegeta reached into his pocket for his ringing cell phone.
"It's Trunks." Vegeta walked towards the exit to hear Trunks' breaking voice. "No..."
Goku followed behind, trying to listen in on the conversation.
"We'll be right there." He tucked his phone away, continuing to exit the courtroom with Goku now at his side. "You and I are going to the hospital. Don't tell the others, let them stay here for your son."
"Vegeta! What's going on?! Is Pan okay?"
"She's barely waking up. It's the baby..." He paused for the two of them to climb into his truck. "They had to cut the baby out, he's not breathing. Trunks said they've got tubes and nurses all around him. They're performing CPR. They're doing all that they can, all we can do is wait."
Waiting for the verdict, waiting for his grandson to be revived, waiting for Videl's operation to be complete, Goku felt the world on his shoulders, as did Gohan, Trunks, Pan, Vegeta, Bra, and Goten.