"Thanks again for watching the kids, Jessica. I know that Georgia said she would be fine on her own, since Molly has an important test today, but..."

"It's no problem, Aaron. I love being here with the kids, even though I have been enjoying the ability to have a bit more time to myself as Dad transitions into his new place." His sister kissed his cheek lightly before turning to Erin and kissing her cheek as well before taking Vanessa from her arms. "And I love getting to hold this little bean! I'm never here at the right time, it seems."

"Well, you'll have to come over more often. Even if you're not watching the children, I love having you over, Jess. I need all the friends in my life that I can gather around me. Now, we need to get going, since I'm pretty certain that we're going to get a verdict today. The DA overseeing the case was pretty certain that it wouldn't take the jury long to deliberate." Erin looked up at him, giving that pained smile that told him they were actually running late, and he nodded to her as he reached out to run his finger down Vanessa's nose before ushering Erin out into the garage.

They were quiet for the entire drive to the courthouse, though he could see by the way she twisted her skirt in her hands that she was extremely nervous about today's outcome. "Everything is going to turn out for good, Erin. We have to have faith that no matter what the verdict is, it will be the right decision. Even if they let him off."

"They can't! He nearly murdered Penny, Aaron, and he needs to face justice! She deserves that! I received my own form of justice, and he is rotting in prison in Wyoming, where I know he'll never hurt any woman ever again." Her sudden outburst took him by surprise, and he glanced over to see that she was silently crying.

"Hold on," he murmured before pulling into the closest parking lot. After parking in the first open spot, he threw the car into park and awkwardly leaned over to pull his wife into a tight hug, rubbing her back gently in an effort to soothe her. "I didn't know that you were struggling like this, Erin. Why didn't you say something to me?"

She nuzzled her cheek against his chest as she drew in a shuddery breath. "I suppose, even after all this time together, there are still things I keep to myself, darling. This trial has brought out the anxiety that I felt during the trial of my rapist. And that sounds so selfish, since so many women lost their lives to him, but that's how I feel and think about him. How he destroyed so much of my life that I only started truly rebuilding with you. And I know that Penelope and David have to be feeling that same anxiety, that feeling of unknown dread, since we don't know how things will turn out. Kevin could be found not guilty for some reason, and then they won't get any decent closure."

"Well, we're going to think positive thoughts and assume that the jurors will make the correct decision at the end of the day. Now let me see your face," he gently commanded as he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket. He'd put it there that morning, knowing that at some point Erin was going to start crying, he just hadn't thought it would be that soon.

Erin obliged him, looking into his eyes with an unbearably sad look still in her gaze. "I didn't wear mascara today, or foundation, because I knew that I'd cry and it would be really obvious."

"I'm still going to take care of you," he said quietly as he brought a corner of the large cotton square to her cheeks and wiped away the tear tracks with gentle, soft, touches. Her eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his hand, and he allowed his smile to fade a little, as he gave into the sadness that was tugging at his heart at seeing his wife in pain. "There, now no one will know that you've cried already. Do you want to get underway once more?"

"Yes," she whispered before leaning in a little closer and pressing her lips against his in a soft buss. "We have to be strong for them. Yes?"

"Yes, until we get home and can break down together." She nodded as she settled back in her seat and allowed him to start the trek to the courthouse once more. Traffic was surprisingly light, so he was able to make up a little lost time and arrived only three minutes past when he had wanted to get there. After parking the car, he went over to the passenger side and helped Erin out, his arm automatically slipping into place around her waist as they headed inside.

Dave and Penelope were standing outside the courtroom, speaking with the DA as they approached, and his best friend was the first to notice them, a relieved look crossing his face as his shoulders slumped. "Good morning," he said as he reached out his hand to Aaron.

"Morning. Sorry we're a bit late, we had a rough start."

"I know that feeling quite well," Dave replied as they watched Erin and Penelope embrace tightly. He heard the hitch in both of their next breaths, and prayed that they could hold it together, as they didn't have any real idea what the outcome was going to be yet. "Penelope's trying to hold it together, but she had a nightmare last night, which tells me that this is weighing on her much more heavily that she tells me."

"Erin seems to think that it's going to be a bad verdict, too, but I couldn't really get a feel of the jury. Despite all my years as a prosecutor, I just couldn't read them. I think it's because I'm too close to this case, and I know what I want the outcome to be."

Dave nodded as the doors to the courtroom opened, a bailiff allowing them all inside. The DA led them up to the first row behind his chair, and Aaron went in first, followed by Erin. It was clear that she wanted to be close to Penelope, and he didn't begrudge her that feeling, since a part of him wanted to be a little closer to Dave, to be able to lay a supportive hand on his shoulder should the worst outcome be true.

There was a din of voices as the courtroom filled with spectators, and he tried not to glare at Kevin's parents as they slid into the seats behind the defense's table, though he noticed that Kevin's mother couldn't help but send a vicious look in Penelope's direction. Dave noticed the look as well, since he slid closer to his wife and picked up her hand, threading their fingers together as they turned their focus to the front of the room.

In a few minutes, the bailiff called the court to order, and they all rose to their feet as Judge Spargur entered. She sat them within moments, and Aaron took hold of Erin's hand as they listened to the judge tell all assembled that the jury had indeed returned with a verdict and that it would be read as soon as those jurors had taken their seats.

"I'm so nervous," Erin whispered in his ear, and he nodded as he squeezed her hand gently, trying to let her know that he was right by her side as she was by Penelope's side for this.

The jurors entered and filled their seats, and for the first time that morning, Aaron felt a true flicker of hope flame to life in his heart when he noticed the fact that none of the jurors would look at Kevin or his attorney, while a good number of them deliberately looked to Penelope and Dave, giving them a flicker of a smile before turning their attention to the judge. "Has the jury reached a unanimous decision?" Judge Spargur intoned, and the foreman nodded as she rose to her feet. "And how does the jury find?"

"We have found the defendant guilty of all charges levied against him," the young woman said, her voice a little shaky, as if she wasn't accustomed to being the center of attention. Erin dug her fingers into the back of his hand, and he glanced over to see that she and Penelope were both crying as the judge went through and reconfirmed on all the charges that each was indeed a guilty verdict. It was a bit overwhelming to find out that this was indeed the outcome they had hoped for, and he rested his shoulder against hers as the judge thanked the jury for their service and then addressed the court once more.

"I hereby order that Mister Lynch be remanded into custody of the county jail until the time of his sentencing, which will be in three weeks' time. Until then, court is adjourned." She brought her gavel down and then left the courtroom, and Aaron turned towards the others, watching the play of emotions that was on each of their faces.

It wasn't until the DA turned to them, a grin wreathing his face, that Dave broke down and began to cry as well, silent tears that Aaron was accustomed to from him, as he had never been a showy crier, not like his wife. "We won."

"If that's what you call destroying my baby's life," Kevin's mother spat out at them as she paused near their seats. "Whatever he might have done, you had it coming for destroying him like you both did."

Before any of them could respond, the older woman shoved through the crowd and left them in peace, though Penelope started to sob a little harder as Dave caught her up in a tighter hug. "I could have her charged with harassment," the DA said, only for Dave to shake his head. "Why not?"

"She's right, in a way. His life will never be the same from this moment on, due to his actions. I'm just glad that he'll be facing some sort of repercussions for hurting us. Thank you for everything that you did for us on this case." He let go of Penelope so that he could get to his feet and shake the DA's hand, which allowed Aaron to also get to his feet and help Erin up. She leaned back against him, a deep sigh breaking her lips as she looked up at him.

"What is it, Buttercup?"

"How…? Of course, you know me so well. I think that we should take them home. I'll drive our car with Penelope, you can drive David's Cadillac. I have the feeling that neither of them is in the right frame of mind to be driving right now."

"I think that you're right," he replied, looking at Dave, who was giving him a grateful smile. "Let's wait until the courtroom clears a little more before heading out, yeah?"

"Okay," she murmured as she rested her head on his chest, taking in a deep breath as they continued to speak with the DA about what would happen next, and what the road ahead would look like for them all.