Bury the Past

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Here we go, the trial. We're going to see quite a bit, including a final conversation with the two surviving victims.

Chapter 24 (Trials and Verdicts)

The trial was hard fought. The testimonies of experts went first. The prosecution was tough, the defense attorneys were just as rough. Both had excellent points, and even attempted to suggest that Jade may have been the real assailant, while the prosecution quickly disputed that.

Trina relished her time on the stand, though she couldn't deny how difficult it was to be up there. The defense did a great job trying to paint her as an emotionally charged woman going after Beck simply because of the things that happened between them, but she remained firm and consistent-sticking with the evidence and remaining true to the points of investigation. She mapped out every single step she took, every person she talked to and how exactly they arrived at Beck.

Her father had done the same. Both of their statements were only bolstered by the statement given by David's supervisor. It was at that point, when she testified, that she looked Beck in the eyes and caught a glimpse of anger and defeat, as though he knew he had lost. This look filled her with satisfaction and joy.

For her first homicide, she felt what her father had been telling her all along. When she looked at Jade and Tori in the witness box, she visualized in her mind Andre and Holly sitting beside them, looking strong and confident as ever.

Investigators demonstrated how the crime possibly occurred, demonstrating how a man of Beck's stature could cause the damage that he had.

It wasn't a trial that took place over the course of a single day, or even a week. It was long, it was grueling and it was painful. Perhaps the greatest moments of the trial came when Tori and Jade gave their testimonies.

Both of them held the entire courtroom, speaking as eloquently as they could against the grief, terror, trauma and tears. The hush that came over the courtroom when they walked the Court through the actions of that night had been so intense that a pin could have fallen on the floor and echoed.

Their testimonies moved the jurors, succeeding in bringing them to tears. Beck remained unmoved, to no one's surprise. His lack of remorse likely did him in worse than the testimonies of either victims. His defense couldn't save him from the hangman's noose either, and their attempt at painting Tori's actions as villainous to create a mitigating circumstance was done in vain.

The only thing it earned them were scowls and glares from the jury.

Holly's case had been the most tragic of all, an innocent woman. A mother who would never live to see her grandchildren, gunned down trying to defend her daughter.

"Get off my daughter," cried Holly's voice on the audio file of the 911 call. Trina closed her eyes and listened with tears streaming as the audio file bore its own tragic testimony. A voice from beyond the grave.

"What the fuck!" Beck exclaimed. "I thought you were asleep." Shots rang out and Holly cried out in pain. Jade could be heard groaning in the background, weeping terribly as Tori groaned. "Fuck!" Sirens could be heard, followed by a clicking sound.

Eventually all that was left was to wait for the jury to deliberate. Everyone waited in the lobby outside the courtroom, no one was calm or still. David paced, tapping his right index finger knuckle on his chip with impatience. Gary watched him with anxious eyes and his shoulders were being rubbed by Carol.

Trina was being held by Martin, her head rested on his shoulder and she tried rubbing her fingers over her abdomen to focus on the child growing inside of her rather than focusing on the stress of waiting for a verdict to be reached.

She didn't have a single complaint with how the prosecution handled the case. They'd done their best and certainly earned their praise as well as pay.

Tori and Jade were nearby, both girls unable to look at each other and both incredibly tense and still. Jade was in the wheelchair beside the bench that Tori sat. "It still feels like a dream," Tori said finally. The girl raised her head back and clenched her hands in her lap. "Your husband took my mother from me…she never did anything wrong." Tears welled up in Tori's eyes. "She was the perfect innocent victim in this. Why am I alive? Why is she dead? She should be alive, she should be able to see her granddaughter. I don't deserve it."

"You're alive because she saved your life," Jade muttered. It was true. Had Holly not startled Beck, he wouldn't have stopped. He would have kept going until Tori was dead.

Realizing this, Trina turned her head and buried her face further into Martin's shoulder.

Tori looked at Jade, speaking calmly as she hunched forward. She rubbed her hands together and frowned. "I don't hate you, Jade. I don't blame you, I blame myself, but…but I don't think I can talk to you. Not now. Every time I look at you-"

"I know." Jade cleared her throat and shook her head. "It is my fault, everything is my fault. I should have just tried things with my husband, talked to him, and not had that affair." Jade still felt the guilt from Holly's death, as far as Trina understood. "I am sorry, Tori."

"It's not your fault. I mean…I don't hold anything against you, I just-I don't know." Tori held her breath and rubbed her eyes with her wrists. She let out a heavy sigh and dropped her hands to her knees. "Cat and Robbie are talking to me again." Jade raised her eyebrows and looked up with surprise.

"Really? I haven't heard from them."

"My sister and her husband renewed their vows. They were on the guest list…I guess they kind of helped save Trina's marriage." Jade chuckled and ran her hand over her neck.

"I kind of helped keep him from cheating on her." Jade looked at Trina with a subtle smile. "It's a little bit funny, a little bit ironic. The ones that caused your sister the most pain are the ones that helped keep her marriage stable…or at least brought her husband down to earth."

"Yeah." Tori ran her hands over her knees and closed her eyes. "Jade. I did feel something, don't think I didn't." Jade took a deep breath and Tori looked at her. "But you realize. We can't be friends anymore. Not for a while. I think maybe one day, but it's just too…too difficult right now. You understand. I'm sorry."

"You need to be with your family right now anyway." Jade bowed her head and bit down on the lower left corner of her lip. "I…Trina's laid her roots down a few hours away, so I know you'll be with them."

"It's going to be weird. My dad's decided to move in with a retirement community…and I'll be living with him."

"Heh. Good luck with that."

"Yeah. I don't know what's going to happen from here. Do you? Where are you going to be?"

Jade looked at a man standing nearby and smiled gently. The man was tall and wearing a grey suit, he had a straight face with somber and wet eyes. His grey hair was short and neatly combed over. "You and Trina aren't the only ones reuniting with your dad…" Tori raised her eyebrows and smiled

"You're staying with your dad too? That's great."

"Yeah, but he lives on the other side of the country. It's going to be a change of scenery for sure…" Jade rubbed her arm and the tone of her voice tensed. "Maybe it's for the best. Someone said Robbie still hates Los Angeles, I can understand. I don't even want to be here anymore."

"His reason is a little different, I think."

"Not really. He hates it here because of all the memories. He was at his worst here, he did things here that every time he's here, he can't forget or get away from. Every step he takes in this city is painful for him, so he refuses to return…I understand that feeling completely now…It will be good to get away."

"I guess so."

Jade looked around, disheartened. "Where are they now? They probably didn't even want to see me."

"No, they had to leave because they're still touring. They couldn't stay long."

"I'm a little jealous of you, reconnecting with them. I never thought they'd even try and talk to either of us again…"

Trina raised her head up and smiled as the pair wished the other the best of luck. She didn't know if they'd ever talk again, but there was always the hope, always the chance.

They were called back into the courtroom after some time, the jury had come to a conclusion. Trina held her breath and looked at her father, eager to see how the result of her first homicide case unfolded.

David told her once that there would always be a few disappointing cases, where it didn't turn out as hoped, or the killer got away. She prayed this wouldn't be one of those times, and was pretty confident, but she still was holding onto her breath.

The speaker of the jury stepped up, a tall woman with a long brown ponytail. She held a card out in front of her. "We the jury." Tension formed like clouds in the air. Even Beck looked anxious in the defense seat. The prosecution were beaming with confidence, gazing with sharp eyes and slick smirks. "Find the Defendant, Beckett Allan Oliver…"

Trina closed her eyes and was almost certain she was crushing her father's hand. It was the moment of truth.

"Guilty of one count murder in the first degree. Guilty of two counts attempted murder in the first degree. Guilty of one count murder in second degree." Trina felt the relief roll through her body, shaking her immensely. She started to sob, falling forward and raising her hands in front of her face. "We the jury recommend the sentence of life without the chance of parole."

The judge narrowed his eyes at Beck and spoke above the court, his loud voice booming as though he were trying to be heard for miles. "I support the Jury's recommendation. Beckett Oliver, you are hereby sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Because of the severity of this case, and your direct attempt at tampering with the investigation as well as cold manipulation of one of the victims…I am adding an extra one hundred and twenty years to your sentence."

Beck looked like a ghost, white and pale as he could be. Trina felt an overwhelming sense of triumph, and nearly sprang to life in that very courtroom. She watched the police guide Beck away.

Later that evening, Trina stood with her father before her mother's grave. The pride and relief she felt was enormous. Among all the graves of victims that David helped find justice for was one very important grave. "We did it," Trina whispered while kneeling before her mother's grave, "I fought for you mom. For you, for Andre, for Tori and Jade. We got him..." She furrowed her brow and tears welled up in her eyes. "He's never going to hurt anyone ever again."

David placed a strong hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"It's bittersweet."

"I know...Could you do this?"

"I think so." Trina rose to her feet, clenching her fists at her sides while gazing out at the other graves. She wanted to work more homicides. The joy she felt at finally achieving that justice was worth more than anything. "It's rewarding. I don't want to become so focused that I don't pay attention to my family, though."

"I don't think you will have that problem."

"I want to do this. I want to solve more, find justice for more victims." The passion she had was greater than ever before. "I've always wanted to be a homicide detective, and now that I've had my taste...I want this more than anything."

David looked to her with pride and glanced down at the gravestone. "Good." He took another deep breath and closed his eyes. "Because I've recommended you to Perez and the department in your city." Her heart jumped and she raised her eyebrows slowly.

"R-Really?"

"Yes. I think you can do it. I think you'll be great." She hugged her father, grateful for the recommendation. It felt like her dream was coming true, even if it was at a great cost. "I'm proud of you, Trina. I'm glad you're here."

"You too, Dad, you too."

"Where we go from here..."

"We'll all face things together. As a family."

Martin approached, stealing her gaze with a smirk. "You know what?" He took her in his arms and she smiled back at him. "I got a crazy feeling."

"What feeling is that?" She knew what he was about to say, stealing the line she used on him at their wedding and on the day they moved back to their house. Martin kissed her forehead and hugged her tight.

"All our dreams are coming true."

I feel like I had to end it on that line. It was the first line of "When Duty Calls", and the last line of the movie that she tells him that. So this is the end of the road, end of the line. Tori and Jade have sort of reconciled, but given how close to the tragedy, and what they've been through, that's probably better than what would normally be expected. Beck's never going to see the outside of a prison in his life, and everyone's going to try and move forward. I had a thought of a sequel, but I'm really not sure how I'd do it, and it would essentially focus on Tori trying to recover and start her life while dealing with the tragedy, what she's done, and the HIV positive state. That said, thank you for everyone that followed along with this, I appreciate all of you. On to the next big project!