Wrongful Conviction

Not Guilty

"You're saying at nineteen years old, you and Mister Mohuna were drinking?"

"Yes. We were drinking to take the edge off, see me and Peter were gonna have--uhm--" Peter gives a low growl as a warning but she is quick to wave it off. "We were going to make sweet love and we would've if deputy do good hadn't caught us." He raises his eyebrows and looks down at the table, rolling pressing his lips together to try and hide the grin he felt.

"I see, so what happened after you got caught?"

"We went in and were detained all night long. There's no way Peter killed anyone that night. Because we were together the whole night." She grins. Peter gives a low, very quiet whistle and licks his lips in anticipation.

"I see. So there you have it, your honor, he couldn't have killed him because they were together the whole night that night."

"I'd like to ask a few questions if you don't mind." The other lawyer asks as he stands. She feels herself get nervous and her eyes fall in Peter for reassurance.

"You say you and Mister Mohuna were together that whole night, yet the report says that Mister Mohuna met up with you after he robbed the store. So you couldn't have been with him the whole night. Is it possible that Mister Mohuna killed Mister Stanton and then met up with you?" The man asks, all squirrel-looking with his big fish bowl glasses high on his nose.

"I mean I guess," she starts and short hush falls over the court. "Except I was in Mister Stanton's store waiting for Peter. We had a nice conversation while I was there. I suppose you could ask him, if he wasn't dead." She barks, rolling her eyes.

"Look! This is a serious offense young lady. Don't roll your eyes or give sarcastic comments." The lawyer growls, pointing a stern finger at her.

"Your honor if he plans to threaten her again, you better pull her from the stand. I won't watch her mowed over by this little dweeb." Peter jumps to his feet and snarls at the other lawyer.

"Thank you Mohuna, sit down. The defendant is right. Keep it legal." The judge snips at him.

"I just don't believe this. She's obviously in love with him, she'd lie to help him your Honour, we need a real witness not some ex-lover who still seems to hold a candle for him!"

"Hey! She'd never lie, you threaten her again and I swear."

"You'll kill me? Just like you did Mister Stanton?" He asks, turning snake-like opinion to Peter.

"Objection your Honour! We're not asking everyone their opinion, nor accusing them of something they didn't do. This is unfair." His lawyer jumps in, darting his finger towards the prosecutor.

"Look Ben, if you can't get yourself under control I'll ask you to leave." The judge growls.

"Sorry your Honour." He grumbles before returning to his table.

"Any further questions for the witness?" He asks. Ben shakes his head no, before asking to call a recess.

"We'll break for a two hour lunch and come back afterwards with a verdict. For a final time before we call break, defendant Peter Mohuna, how do you plea?"

"Not guilty." He shakes his head. They break for two hours and Peter is held in a room and given lunch while waiting for a verdict. Everyone re-enters the court, the jury all seems to have decided on a verdict for Peter. Aisleigh feels her palms sweat and knuckles ache, feels her stomach turning and rolling, as if it were putting on its own show. She believed Peter was safe, but something itched in the back of her mind that he would still be put away again. As the last few people straggle in, Jarred pokes her arm and gives her a sweet smile.

"What are you doing here?" She whispers as they bring Peter in.

"He made me promise I'd be here in case he got charged; to keep you from killing anyone." He whispers patting her arm as her were a friend.

"Well he's gonna be fine." She grumbles under her breath to him as the judge begins to speak.

"Jury is in, Myself and the jury under careful consideration find the defendant Peter Mohuna not guilty." She sits in shock staring between the judge, the roster of jury, and Peter. She couldn't believe it, the tears fall down her face as she reaches to brush them away and Peter stands to face her. Their eyes meet through the glimmering tears and Jarred edges her towards Peter.

"Go! Go on and get your ex-convict." He murmurs encouragingly. She gives him the biggest smile before racing towards Peter. Pouncing on him, she wraps her arms around his neck and Peter murmurs incoherently as he hugs her against him.

"We did it." He murmurs, kissing her cheek as ma and the boys crowd around them, all ecstatic for him to finally be free. He was free now, really free. He could feel an enormous weight lifted off his chest, breathing in Aisleigh's sweetness and pressing his lips against her forehead and knowing that they could stay together.

"We did it." She cheers as they make their way outside.

"Oh dearest, the basement is done now I plan on packing your stuff if you want it." He grumbles, putting on a show for Peter. He gains the tall, beefy man's attention as they start to chat and he steps over and puts just one shoulder in front of her partially.

"That would be great! Thank you Jarred." She smiles to her new found friend, and he beams a smile back at her.

"What's going on?" He asks, brows slightly furrowed in concern.

"Oh Peter," she murmurs, turning to face him. Her big grey eyes meet his amber ones and she gives him the biggest smile she could muster. "I'm so glad you're my best friend. But I'm sorry." She giggles, half covering her mouth. "Petey, look at me." With her petite hand, she pulls his face to look back at her. "Petey, you're my best friend and I have finally come to realize that I don't want anyone else but you. I love you." She whispers, staring into his golden orbs. He smiles down at her, his face puffy in some places, a slight split on his bottom lip and cuts across his face, but to her he was her fighter, her number one.

"Shut up." He rumbles from deep in his chest and scoops her up into his huge arms and kisses her so gently and warmly. That rush from the addiction finally hits him, like finally hitting that cigarette. He feels his heart soar as he spins her around and kisses her lips repeatedly. He couldn't believe he would ever get used to kissing her.